Personal authentication system and method using biometrics information, and registering apparatus, authenticating apparatus and pattern information input medium for the system

ABSTRACT

A system performing secondary verification using only existing apparatuses to accomplish a measure for relief in personal authentication without causing complexity or without increasing cost. The system has a registering apparatus for obtaining data for verification from information inputted using an inputting unit and registering the data. The registering apparatus has a first extracting unit for extracting biometrics characteristic data from the biometrics information obtained by the inputting unit, and registering the biometrics characteristic data as registry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification, and a second extracting unit for extracting data, which is different from the registry biometrics characteristic data, from information inputted using the inputting unit and registering the data as registry data for secondary verification. The system is used for personal authentication using biometrics information such as fingerprint, palm print, finger shape, palm shape, voice, retina, iris, face image, dynamic signature, blood vessel pattern, keystroke, or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a system and a method forauthenticating a person using biometrics information such asfingerprint, palm print, finger shape, palm shape, voice, retina, iris,face image, dynamic signature, blood vessel pattern, keystroke, or thelike, and a registering apparatus, an authenticating apparatus, and apattern information input medium for the system.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In recent years, there is growing interest in security with wideintroduction of computers into social systems. ID cards or passwords areheretofore used as a means for verifying a person when he or she entersinto a computer room or uses a terminal. However, this leaves a lot ofproblems in respect to security.

[0005] As a more reliable means than passwords for verifying a person, apersonal authenticating technique using biometrics information such asfingerprint, palm print, finger shape, palm shape, voice, retina, iris,face image, dynamic signature, blood vessel pattern, keystroke, or thelike, attracts public attention. Verification of a person usingbiometrics information inherent in a person produces a very highreliability.

[0006] In a personal authentication system using such biometricsinformation, biometrics information on each person who should beauthenticated in the system is obtained, characteristic data isextracted from the biometrics information, and the characteristics datais beforehand registered as registry characteristic data of each personto be authenticated. When the biometrics information is verified inorder to authenticate a person, biometrics information on the person tobe authenticated is obtained, characteristics data to be authenticatedis extracted from the biometrics information, the above characteristicdata to be authenticated is compared and matched with the registrycharacteristic data registered beforehand, and a rate of matching ofthese two sorts of characteristic data is calculated. When the rate ofmatching between the registry characteristic data and the characteristicdata to be authenticated is not less than a predetermined value (orexceeds a predetermined value), the person to be authenticated isdetermined to be the registered person.

[0007] Next, personal authentication using fingerprint, which is onepiece of biometrics information that can be used to verify a person,will be briefly described. Fingerprint is said to have twocharacteristics that are “no two persons have exactly the samefingerprint” and “the fingerprint of anyone individual remain unchangedthrough life”. Therefore, fingerprint is considered to be a strong meansfor verifying a person. A lot of researches and developments relating topersonal authentication systems using fingerprints are made in recentyears.

[0008] Fingerprints are minute irregularities on fingertips of a person.Ranges of the minute irregularities are called ridges. The ridges formvarious patterns inherent to a person. When the ridge is followed, abifurcation at which the ridge branches (bifurcation) or a dead-end(ending) appears. Distribution of bifurcations and endings differs inindividuals, which is thus called minutiae of fingerprints. Matching ofa state of distribution of the minutiae is used as a strong means tospecify a person.

[0009] When personal authentication is performed using such afingerprint as biometrics information, coordinates of an intersection ofridges of the fingerprint, coordinates of a center of the fingerprint,coordinates of a delta of the fingerprint, a direction of a ridge of thefingerprint, a distance between minutiae, the number of ridges betweenminutiae of the fingerprint, etc. are extracted along with a position(coordinates), a type, and a direction of the minutia described above.

[0010] In a personal authentication system using fingerprints,fingerprint characteristic data of a person is beforehand registered.Namely, a user (person) of the system inputs fingerprint image data intoa predetermined apparatus, characteristic data is extracted from thefingerprint image data and registered as registry characteristic data.

[0011] When fingerprint image data of an authenticating object person isobtained by a fingerprint scanner at the time of verification,characteristic data to be authenticated is extracted from thefingerprint image data, and it is verified whether the characteristicdata to be authenticated matches the registry characteristic dataregistered beforehand. When a rate of matching is not less than apredetermined value, it is determined that the person to beauthenticated is the person registered in the personal authenticationsystem.

[0012] Generally, a fingerprint pattern is obtained in a form of afingerprint image, by photographing the image by a CCD camera while afinger is contacted with a special optical system, or by detecting onlya ridged part on the skin by a capacitance sensor. However, when animage of an unclear fingerprint, that is, an blurred image of afingerprint or an image of a fingerprint in which ridges are adhered bysweat, is obtained, it is impossible to verify whether a person to beauthenticated is a registered person because a rate of matching becomesless than the predetermined value when the verification is performed.

[0013] In another case, it is likely that a rate of matching becomesless than the predetermined value due to unexpected factors in thepersonal authorization system using biometrics information. As thefactors, there are dryness, roughness, etc. of the fingertips in wintertime along with deformation due to injury in the case of personalauthentication using a fingerprint, and deformation due to injury ordisease in the case of person authorization using a face or an iris.

[0014] In the above-mentioned personal authorization technique usingbiometrics information, when a rate of matching becomes less than thepredetermined value and the personal authentication thus results infailure due to any factor, the process is completed in considerationthat the person is not the person himself/herself (registered person),or personal authentication is performed by inputting a password or thelike as a measure for relief. When the latter means is used, a devicefor inputting a password such as a ten key pad, a keyboard or the likeis beforehand provided to the apparatus for fingerprint verification,and the person to be authenticated inputs a password registeredbeforehand from the device.

[0015] When the authentication is failed because of an input error ofthe biometrics information or the like, re-verification is performedagain by re-inputting the same biometrics information, which sometimesallows normal authentication. However, when it becomes impossible toexceed a predetermined rate of matching due to a factor such as injuryor the like, a system without a measure for relief cannot authenticatethe person to be authenticated as the person himself/herself (registeredperson).

[0016] When a measure for relief by inputting a password is employed, anadvantage of personal authentication using biometrics information thatcan eliminate a trouble of keyboard inputting is lost, which leads tocomplexity or an increase in cost of the system.

[0017] When personal authentication is failed, as another idea,biometrics information which is different from the one that has beenused when the authentication was failed, is obtained to authenticate theperson (for, example, the authentication is performed using a face or aniris when the personal authentication using a fingerprint is failed). Inorder to realize this system, it is necessary to provide plural kinds ofbiometrics information inputting apparatus to each of the registeringapparatus and the authenticating apparatus. Namely, a biometricsinformation inputting apparatus (for example, an apparatus that obtainsa face or an iris as image data) of a different type from the biometricsinformation inputting apparatus used in the first verification (primaryverification) is required, which also leads to complication or anincrease in cost of the system.

[0018] In the personal authentication system using biometricsinformation, the user has to beforehand register registry characteristicdata, as stated above. When a fingerprint is used as the biometricsinformation, the user inputs fingerprint image data in registration.However, it is not possible to register a person whose fingerprint is inunstable conditions due to dryness or roughness of the finger in wintertime, or a person whose fingerprint cannot be primarily obtained due toinjury or the like, which sometimes unables personal authentication.Therefore, a measure for relief in such case is further necessary.

[0019] When the measure for relief by inputting a password is employedto cope with it, it is necessary to provide a device such as a ten keypad, a keyboard or the like, as stated above, which leads to complexityor an increase in cost of the system. Alternatively, it is consideredthat registry characteristic data is extracted from biometricsinformation which is different from the biometrics information thatfailed to be registered, and is registered (for example, a face or aniris is used to be registered when registry using, for example, afingerprint is impossible). In order to realize this system, it isnecessary to provide plural kinds of biometrics information inputtingapparatuses, which also leads to complexity or an increase in cost ofthe system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In the light of the above problems, an object of the presentinvention is to provide a personal authentication system and methodusing biometrics information, and a registering apparatus, anauthenticating apparatus and a pattern information input medium for thesystem, which allows secondary verification using only existingstructural apparatuses when personal authentication becomes impossiblein primary verification since a rate of matching between biometricsinformation (registry characteristic data), obtained in registration,and biometrics information (characteristic data to be authenticated),obtained in verification, is decreased by an unexpected factor, or whenregistration of biometrics information (registry characteristic data)becomes impossible in registration due to a state of a predeterminedpart of a body, thereby realizing a measure for relief in personalauthentication without causing complexity or an increase in cost.

[0021] The present invention therefore provides a personalauthentication system using biometrics information comprising aregistering apparatus including a first biometrics information inputtingunit for obtaining biometrics information of a person to be registered,the registering apparatus obtaining data for verification frominformation inputted using the first biometrics information inputtingunit and registering the same, and an authenticating apparatus fordetermining whether a person to be authenticated is a person registeredby the registering apparatus, on the basis of the data for verificationregistered by the registering apparatus, the registering apparatusincluding a first extracting unit for extracting biometricscharacteristic data from the biometrics information obtained by thefirst biometrics information inputting unit, and registering thebiometrics characteristic data as registry biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification, and a second extracting unit forextracting data, which is different from the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification, from information inputtedusing the first biometrics information inputting unit, and registeringthe data as registry data for secondary verification.

[0022] The registering apparatus may comprise a state determining unitfor determining a state of the registry biometrics characteristic datafor primary verification extracted by the first extracting unit, and thesecond extracting unit may carry out extraction and registrationaccording to a result of determination by the state determining unit.

[0023] The authenticating apparatus may comprise a second biometricsinformation inputting unit for obtaining biometrics information of theperson to be authenticated, a third extracting unit for extractingbiometrics characteristic data from biometrics information of the personto be authenticated obtained by the second biometrics informationinputting unit, a primary verifying unit for verifying whether thebiometrics characteristic data extracted by the third extracting unitmatches the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification registered by the registering apparatus, a secondaryverification shift determining unit for determining whether to carry outsecondary verification, on the basis of a result of verification by theprimary verifying unit, a fourth extracting unit for extracting data forsecondary verification from information inputted using the secondbiometrics information inputting unit, when the secondary verificationshift determining unit determines that the secondary verification isrequired to be carried out, a secondary verifying unit for verifyingwhether data extracted by the fourth extracting unit matches theregistry data for secondary verification registered by the registeringapparatus, and a personal determining unit for determining whether theperson to be authenticated is a person registered by the registeringapparatus, on the basis of a result of verification by the primaryverifying unit or the secondary verifying unit.

[0024] The authenticating apparatus may further comprise an instructionunit for prompting the person to be authenticated to input data forsecondary verification by using the second biometrics informationinputting unit, when the secondary verification shift determining unitdetermines that secondary verification is required to be carried out.The authenticating apparatus may still further comprise a secondaryverification shift setting unit for arbitrarily setting whether to carryout verification by the secondary verifying unit. The authenticatingapparatus may still further comprise a personal information setting unitfor setting in advance information on whether to carry out verificationby the secondary verifying unit as personal information for eachregistered person.

[0025] The registry data for secondary verification may be biometricscharacteristic data extracted from biometrics information, which is ofthe same type as biometrics information in primary verification andwhich is obtained from a part which is deferent from a part from whichthe biometrics information has been obtained in the primaryverification. At this time, the biometrics information may befingerprint image data, and the registry data for secondary verificationmay be biometrics characteristic data extracted from fingerprint imagedata of one or more fingers which are differed from a finger from whichthe registry characteristic data for primary verification has beenobtained.

[0026] Alternatively, the registry data for secondary verification maybe biometrics characteristic data of a different type from biometricscharacteristic data in primary verification extracted from biometricsinformation, which is of the same type as biometrics information inprimary verification and which is obtained from the same part or adifferent part. At this time, the biometrics information maybefingerprint image data, and the registry data for secondary verificationmay be biometrics characteristic data of a different type frombiometrics characteristic data in the primary verification, extractedfrom fingerprint image data of the same finger as a registered fingerfrom which the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification has been obtained, or, one or more fingers which aredifferent from the registered finger.

[0027] Still alternatively, the registry data for secondary verificationmay be non-biometrics characteristic data intentionally inputted by theperson to be registered using the first biometrics information inputtingunit. At this time, as the non-biometrics characteristic data, describedin {circle over (1)} to {circle over (6)} below may be used. In {circleover (2)} to {circle over (6)}, the biometrics information is image dataof a predetermined part of a body. The image data is inputted through animage input screen of the first biometrics information inputting unit.

[0028] {circle over (1)} Time series data having a pattern determined bythe person to be registered.

[0029] {circle over (2)} Input angle, of the predetermined part of thebody on the image input screen, which is detected as image data by thefirst biometrics information inputting unit.

[0030] {circle over (3)} Contact position, of the predetermined part ofthe body on the image input screen, which is detected as image data bythe first biometrics information inputting unit for registry.

[0031] {circle over (4)} Contact trace information, on the image inputscreen, which is detected as image data by the first biometricsinformation inputting unit.

[0032] {circle over (5)} Contact pattern, on the image input screen,which is detected as image data by the first biometrics informationinputting unit. At this time, the contact pattern may be formed by apattern information input medium, which is able to be possessed andcarried by the person to be registered or a registered person, and thepattern information input medium may comprise one or more contact partscontacting with the image input screen of the first biometricsinformation inputting unit to form the contact pattern. Further, thepattern information input medium may form a pattern changing in timeseries as the contact pattern by the one or more contact parts.

[0033] {circle over (6)} When character data corresponding to each of aplurality of different contact patterns or a plurality of differentcontact points on the image input screen is set beforehand, thecharacter data corresponding to the contact pattern or the contact pointdetected as image data by the first biometrics information inputtingunit is used as the non-biometrics characteristic data. At this time,the non-biometrics characteristic data may be a character data stringsuccessively inputted in time series. The registering apparatus and theauthenticating apparatus may comprise a keyboard unit attachably anddetachably disposed to the biometrics information inputting unit to beable to form the contact pattern or the contact point by contacting withthe image input screen according to a key operation, and a keyboardinformation extracting unit for converting the contact pattern or thecontact point formed according to the key operation of the keyboard unitinto corresponding character data, and outputting the same.

[0034] The present invention further provides a personal authenticationmethod using biometrics information comprising the steps of aregistering step of obtaining first biometrics information of a personto be registered using a first biometrics information inputting unit,registering biometrics characteristic data extracted from the firstbiometrics information as registry biometrics characteristic data forprimary verification, inputting registry data for secondaryverification, which is different from the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification, using the first biometricsinformation inputting unit, and registering the same, and anauthenticating step of determining whether a person to be authenticatedis a person registered in the registering step, on the basis of theregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification or theregistry data for secondary verification registered in the registeringstep.

[0035] At the authenticating step, second biometrics information of theperson to be authenticated may be obtained via a second biometricsinformation inputting unit, it may be verified whether biometricscharacteristic data extracted from the second biometrics informationmatches the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification registered beforehand, whether to carryout secondaryverification may be determined on the basis of a result of theverification, data corresponding to the registry data for secondaryverification may be inputted by the person to be authenticated using thesecond biometrics information inputting unit when the secondaryverification is required to be carried out, it may be verified whetherthe data inputted by the second biometrics information inputting unitmatches the registry data for secondary verification registeredbeforehand, and whether the person to be authenticated is a personregistered in the registering step may be determined on the basis of aresult of the verification.

[0036] The present invention still further provides a registeringapparatus for a personal authentication system using biometricsinformation, the registering apparatus, in a system authenticating aperson using biometrics information, having a first biometricsinformation inputting unit for obtaining biometrics information of aperson to be registered to obtain data for verification from informationinputted using the first biometrics information inputting unit, andregistering the same, the registering apparatus comprising a firstextracting unit and a secondary extracting unit similar to thosedescribed above. At this time, the registering apparatus may comprise astate determining unit, similar to the one described above, to performextraction and registration by the second extracting unit according to aresult of determination by the state determining unit.

[0037] The present invention still further provides an authenticatingapparatus for a personal authentication system using biometricsinformation, the authenticating apparatus, in a system authenticating aperson using biometrics information, determining whether a person to beauthenticated is a registered person, on the basis of data forverification registered beforehand, the authenticating apparatuscomprising a second biometrics information inputting unit, a thirdextracting unit, a primary verifying unit, a secondary verificationshift determining unit, a fourth extracting unit, a secondary verifyingunit, and a personal determining unit similar to those described above.At this time, the authenticating apparatus may comprise an instructionunit similar to that described above.

[0038] The present invention still further provides a patterninformation input medium for a personal authentication system usingbiometrics information, the pattern information input medium used in asystem having a biometrics information inputting unit for obtainingbiometrics information as image data in order to authenticate a personby using the biometrics information, the pattern information inputmedium being mounted on the biometrics information inputting unit, thepattern information input medium comprising one or more contact partsfor contacting with an image input screen of the biometrics informationinputting unit to form a contact patter unique to a possessor to bedetected by the biometrics information inputting unit instead of thebiometrics information, the pattern information input medium beingcarried by the possessor. At this time, the one or more contact partsmay form a pattern which changes in time series as the contact pattern.

[0039] According to this invention, when biometrics characteristic datato be referred to in normal verification (primary verification) isregistered, registry data for secondary verification, which is differentfrom that biometrics characteristic information and which is not limitedto data of a body, is registered using the first biometrics informationinputting unit. At this time, the same first biometrics informationinputting unit is used in both registration of the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification and registration of theregistry data for secondary verification. Using the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification or the registry data forsecondary verification registered as described above, personalverification (personal authentication) of a person to be authenticatedmay be carried out.

[0040] When personal authentication becomes impossible in primaryverification since a rate of matching between biometrics information,(registry characteristic data), obtained in registration, and biometricsinformation (characteristic data to be authenticated), obtained at thetime of verification, is decreased due to an unexpected factor,secondary verification using registry data for secondary verification ispossible with only existing structural apparatuses, that is, withoutnewly adding an apparatus. In consequence, a user who cannot beauthenticated in primary verification due to any factor after theregistration can be relieved.

[0041] A state of registry biometrics character data for primaryverification is determined in registration, and extraction andregistration of registry data for secondary verification is carried outaccording to a result of the determination. It is thereby possible torecognize a person whose biometrics state is unstable in primaryverification, or a person whose registry biometrics characteristic datafor primary verification cannot be obtained from the beginning, and tobeforehand register registry data for secondary verification of suchpersons as a measure for relief. As to a person whose biometrics stateis unstable, probability of failure in authentication is high when theactual personal authentication is carried out using registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification of the person. Byregistering registry data for secondary verification, it is possible tocarry out secondary verification using the registry data for secondaryverification in authentication even if authentication results in failurein the primary verification, so as to relieve users whose biometricsstates are unstable, or whose registry biometrics characteristic datafor primary verification cannot be obtained using only existingapparatuses, that is, without newly adding an apparatus.

[0042] In authentication, it is determined whether secondaryverification is required to be carried out or not on the basis of aresult of primary verification. When the secondary verification isnecessary, a person to be authenticated inputs data corresponding to theregistry data for secondary verification by using the second biometricsinformation inputting unit. The second biometrics information inputtingunit is, of course, a device of the same type as the first biometricsinformation inputting unit (that is, a device obtaining biometricsinformation of the same type) . These biometrics information inputtingunits may be provided as the same device to determine. It is determinedwhether a person to be authenticated is the person himself/herself (aregistered person), on the basis of a result of secondary verification.

[0043] Therefore, even when authentication in primary verificationresults in failure, secondary verification using registry data forsecondary verification is performed in authentication. It is thereforepossible to relieve users whose authentication in primary verificationbecomes impossible due to any factor after registration, users whosebiometrics state is unstable, or users whose registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification cannot be obtained, withexisting structural apparatuses.

[0044] When secondary verification is required to be carried out in theauthenticating apparatus, the instruction unit prompts the person to beauthenticated to input data for secondary verification by using thesecond biometrics information inputting unit. The person to beauthenticated can smoothly shift to an operation to input the data forsecondary verification according to the instruction.

[0045] In the authenticating apparatus, it is possible to arbitrarilyset whether to carry out secondary verification or not by the secondaryshift setting unit, and to set each of registered persons on whichsecondary verification is to be carried out by the personal informationsetting unit. Whereby, whether the procedure has to proceed from primaryverification to secondary verification may be controlled arbitrarily orfor each registered person.

[0046] Since biometrics characteristic data extracted from biometricsinformation on a part differing from that used in primary verification,more concretely, biometrics characteristic data extracted fromfingerprint image data of a finger, which is different from a fingerused in primary verification, is used as the registry data for secondaryverification, data, which is necessary in the primary verification andthe secondary verification, may be inputted by one biometricsinformation inputting unit.

[0047] At this time, the primary verification and the secondaryverification are carried out using biometrics characteristic data of thesame type, it is thus unnecessary to prepare extraction algorithm andverification algorithm for each of the primary verification and thesecondary verification. This allows the first extracting unit and thesecond extracting unit to be used commonly and integrated in theregistering apparatus, further not only the primary verifying unit andthe secondary verifying unit but also the primary verifying unit and thesecondary verifying unit to be commonly used and integrated in theauthenticating apparatus.

[0048] Biometrics characteristic data of a different type from that usedin the primary verification, extracted from biometrics information ofthe same type of that used in the primary verification, more concretely,biometrics characteristic data of a different type from that used inprimary verification, extracted from fingerprint image data of the samefinger or a different finger in primary verification, is used as theregistry data for secondary verification, it is thereby possible toinput data, which is necessary in the primary verification and thesecondary verification, by one biometrics information inputting unit.

[0049] By employing non-biometrics information as the registry data forsecondary verification inputted by the second biometrics informationinputting unit, it is possible to input data , which is necessary in theprimary verification and the secondary verification, through onebiometrics information inputting unit. Namely, the biometricsinformation inputting unit may be served as both a device for inputtingbiometrics characteristic data for primary verification, and a devicefor inputting non-biometrics characteristic data (various data havingintentional patterns).

[0050] When the non-biometrics characteristic data is time series datahaving a pattern determined by a person to be registered, the personinputs the time series data by tapping the first biometrics informationinputting unit when registering data, and the time series data isextracted by the second extracting unit from information obtained by thefirst biometrics information inputting unit and registered as theregistry data for secondary verification. When a person to beauthenticated inputs time series data by tapping the second biometricsinformation inputting unit in the occasion of authentication, the timeseries data is extracted by the fourth extracting unit from informationobtained by the second biometrics information inputting unit as data forsecondary verification.

[0051] When the non-biometrics characteristic data is an input angle ofa part of a body, the registrant beforehand determines a unique inputangle (for example, an angle to a reference direction at which a fingeris arranged) of the part of the body on the image input screen. Inregistration, when the person to be registered arranges the part of thebody at a unique input angle on the image input screen of the firstbiometrics information inputting unit, image data of the part of thebody is obtained by the first biometrics information inputting unit, aninput angle is extracted from the image data by the secondary extractingunit and registered as the registry data for secondary verification. Insecondary verification, the person to be authenticated arranges the partof the body at the unique input angle on the image input screen of thesecond biometrics information inputting unit, image data of the part ofthe body is obtained by the second biometrics information inputtingunit, and the input angle of the part of the body is extracted from theimage data as data for secondary verification by the fourth extractingunit.

[0052] When the non-biometrics characteristic data is a contactposition, the person to be registered beforehand determines a uniquecontact position of a part of the body on the image input screen. Inregistration, when the person to be registered touches with the part ofthe body at the unique position on the image input screen of the firstbiometrics information inputting unit, image data of the part of thebody is obtained by the first biometrics information inputting unit, andthe contact position is extracted from the image data by the secondextracting unit and registered as the registry data for secondaryverification. In secondary verification, when the person to beauthenticated touches with the part of the body at the unique contactposition on the image input screen of the second biometrics informationinputting unit, image data of the part of the body is obtained by thesecond biometrics information inputting unit, and the contact positionof the part of the body is extracted from the image data as data forsecondary verification by the fourth extracting unit.

[0053] When the non-biometrics characteristic data is contact traceinformation, the person to be registered beforehand determines a uniquepattern (for example, a signature) to be drawn on the image inputscreen. In registration, when the person to be registered draws theunique pattern with his/her finger, a pen-like device or the like on theimage input screen of the first biometrics information inputting unitwhile making it contact therewith, the pattern is obtained as image databy the first biometrics information inputting unit, and contact traceinformation is extracted from the image data by the second extractingunit and registered as the registry data for secondary verification. Insecondary verification, when the person to be authenticated draws aunique pattern with his/her finger, a pen-like device or the like on theimage input screen of the second biometrics information inputting unitwhile making it contact therewith, the pattern is obtained as image databy the second biometrics information inputting unit, and contact traceinformation is extracted from the image data as data for secondaryverification by the fourth extracting unit.

[0054] When the non-biometrics characteristic data is a contact patternon the image input screen of the biometrics information inputting unit,the person to be registered beforehand determines a unique contactpattern on the image input screen. In registration, the person to beregistered forms the unique contact pattern on the image input screen ofthe first biometrics information inputting unit, the contact pattern isobtained as image data by the first biometrics information inputtingunit, and the contact pattern is extracted from the image data by thesecond extracting unit and registered as the registry data for secondaryverification. In secondary verification, when the person to beauthenticated forms the unique contact pattern on the image input screenof the second biometrics information inputting unit, the contact patternis obtained as image data by the second biometrics information inputtingunit, and the contact pattern is extracted from the image data as datafor secondary verification by the fourth extracting unit.

[0055] By using a pattern information input medium possessed and carriedby the user (possessor, person to be registered, or registered person)to input a contact pattern, it is possible to certainly form a contactpattern unique to the user on the image input screen of the biometricsinformation inputting unit under stable conditions, at any time.

[0056] When the non-biometrics information is character datacorresponding to a contact pattern or a position of a contact pointdetected as image data by the biometrics information inputting unit, theperson to be registered beforehand determines unique character data or aunique character data string equivalent to a personal identificationnumber, a password or the like. In registration, when the person to beregistered forms one or more contact patterns corresponding to theunique character data or the unique character string on the image inputscreen of the first biometrics information inputting unit, or forms oneor more contact points at one or more positions corresponding to thecharacter data or the character data string, the contact patterns or thecontact points are obtained as image data by the first biometricsinformation inputting unit, and the character data or the character datastring is extracted from the image data by the second extracting unitand registered as the registry data for secondary verification. Insecondary verification, when the person to be authenticated forms one ormore contact patterns corresponding to unique character data or a uniquecharacter data string, or forms one or more contact points at one ormore positions corresponding to the character data or the character datastring, the contact patterns or the contact points are obtained as imagedata by the second biometrics information inputting unit, the characterdata or the character data string is extracted from the image data asdata for secondary verification by the fourth extracting unit. Asdescribed above, the biometrics information inputting unit may functionas a keyboard or a ten key pad.

[0057] At this time, the keyboard unit is disposed attachably to anddetachably from the biometrics information inputting unit in order toform the contact patterns or the contact points corresponding tocharacter data or a character data string determined by the user. Aninput from the keyboard unit is converted into character data by thekeyboard information extracting unit, so that the biometrics informationinputting unit may function as a keyboard or a ten key pad. The user canreadily input character data or a character data string from thebiometrics information inputting unit using the keyboard unit. Afunction of the keyboard information extracting unit is practicallyrealized as software by the second extracting unit or the fourthextracting unit. What is added as hardware is only the keyboard unit tobe mounted on the image input screen.

[0058] The personal authentication system and method, and theregistering apparatus, the authenticating apparatus and the patterninformation input medium for the system of this invention provide thefollowing effects and advantages.

[0059] (1) By registering the registry data for secondary verification(personal verification information) , secondary verification isperformed by using the registry data for secondary verification evenwhen primary verification results in failure in authentication.Therefore, by using only existing apparatuses, that is, without newlyadding an apparatus, it is possible to relieve users whoseauthentication becomes impossible due to any factor after registration,users whose biometrics state is unstable, or users whose registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification cannot beobtained. This can realize a measure for relief in authenticationwithout causing complexity or an increase in cost.

[0060] (2) When secondary verification is required to be carried out,the person to be authenticated is instructed to input data for secondaryverification by using the second biometrics information inputting unit.Accordingly, the person to be authenticated can smoothly and certainlyproceed to an operation to input the data for secondary verificationaccording to the instruction.

[0061] (3) Whether the procedure is to be proceeded from the primaryverification to the secondary verification is set arbitrarily or foreach registered person. It is therefore possible to controlexecution/non-execution of the secondary verification according tosystem using environment or at system manager's or registered person'srequest.

[0062] (4) Since the primary verification and the secondary verificationare carried out by using biometrics characteristic data of the samesort, data of the user necessary in the primary verification and thesecondary verification can be inputted from one biometrics informationinputting unit. Further, it is unnecessary to prepare extractionalgorithm or verification algorithm for each of the primary verificationand the secondary verification. Therefore, both the primary verificationand the secondary verification can be carried out by using existinghardware and software as they are.

[0063] (5) When secondary verification is performed, by using biometricscharacteristic data of a different type from the one that is used inprimary verification, extracted from biometrics information of the sametype as that used in the primary verification, data, which is necessaryin the primary verification and the secondary verification, can beinputted from one biometrics information inputting unit. Therefore, boththe primary verification and the secondary verification can be carriedout without newly adding any apparatus.

[0064] (6) By employing, as the registry data for secondaryverification, non-biometrics characteristic data inputted by using thefirst biometrics information inputting unit, the biometrics informationinputting unit can be used as both a device for inputting biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification and a device for inputtingnon-biometrics characteristic data (various data having intentionalpatterns). It is therefore possible to input data, which is necessary inthe primary verification and the secondary verification, through onebiometrics information inputting unit, thereby allowing both the primaryverification and the secondary verification to be carried out withoutnewly adding any apparatus.

[0065] (7) The pattern information input medium, which is carried by apossessor, can certainly form a contact pattern unique to the possessoron the image input screen of the biometrics information inputting unitunder constant conditions at any time. The pattern information inputmedium thus fulfils the similar function to a general seal inassociation with the biometrics information inputting unit. So long as acontact pattern unique to a possessor is beforehand registered asregistry data for secondary verification, the possessor can input datafor secondary verification in the personal authentication system bymounting it on the image input screen of the pattern information inputmedium in a way similar to when impressing a general seal on a paper.The personal authentication system can thereby realize a measure forrelief in personal authentication using only existing structuralapparatuses without causing complexity or an increase in cost.

[0066] (8) Character data or a character data string can be inputted viathe biometrics information inputting unit. The biometrics informationinputting unit can therefore function as a keyboard or a ten key padwithout providing a keyboard or a ten key pad. So long as character dataor a character data string equivalent to a personal identificationnumber of a password is registered beforehand, the person to beauthenticated can input character data or a character data string forsecondary verification from the image input screen in the similar way towhen inputting a personal identification number or a password from akeyboard or a ten key pad. The personal authentication system canthereby realize a measure for relief in personal authentication usingonly existing structural apparatuses without causing complexity or anincrease in cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to anembodiment of this invention;

[0068]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a registeringapparatus for the personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to the embodiment of this invention;

[0069]FIG. 3 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forregistration by the registering apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0070]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a basic structure of anauthenticating apparatus for the personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to the embodiment of this invention;

[0071]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus according to theembodiment;

[0072]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a first example of a concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0073]FIG. 7 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

[0074]FIG. 8 is a flowchart for illustrating a modified example of theprocedure for authentication by the authenticating apparatus shown inFIG. 6;

[0075]FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a second example of the concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0076]FIG. 10 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 9;

[0077]FIGS. 11A through 11H are diagrams showing concrete examples offingerprints in order to explain types of patterns of fingerprints;

[0078]FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a third example of the concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0079]FIG. 13 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 12;

[0080]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a fourth example of theconcrete structure of the authenticating apparatus according to theembodiment;

[0081]FIG. 15 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 14;

[0082]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a fifth example of the concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0083]FIG. 17 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 16;

[0084]FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a sixth example of the concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to the embodiment;

[0085]FIG. 19 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 18;

[0086]FIG. 20 is a vertical sectional view of a structure of an exampleof an electronic seal (pattern information input medium) used in theembodiment;

[0087]FIGS. 21A and 21B illustrate an operation of the electronic sealshown in FIG. 20; FIG. 21A is a vertical sectional view showing anoperational state of the electronic seal; FIG. 21B is a plan viewshowing an example of a contact pattern on a fingerprint input screen;

[0088]FIGS. 22A and 22B illustrate an operation of the electronic sealshown in FIG. 20; FIG. 22A is a vertical sectional view showing anoperational state of the electronic seal; FIG. 22B is a plan viewshowing another example of the contact pattern on the fingerprint inputscreen;

[0089]FIG. 23 is a vertical sectional view showing a structure ofanother example of the electronic seal (pattern information inputmedium) used in the embodiment;

[0090]FIGS. 24A and 24B illustrate an operation of the electronic sealshown in FIG. 23; FIG. 24A is a vertical sectional view showing anoperational state of the electronic seal; FIG. 24B is a plan viewshowing an example of the contact pattern on the fingerprint inputscreen;

[0091]FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a seventh example of theconcrete structure of the authenticating apparatus according to theembodiment;

[0092]FIG. 26 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus shown in FIG. 25;

[0093]FIGS. 27A and 27B show a structure of an example of a simplifiedkeyboard used in the embodiment; FIG. 27A is a vertical sectional viewof the same; FIG. 27B is a plan view of the same;

[0094]FIGS. 28A and 28B illustrate an operation of the simplifiedkeyboard shown in FIGS. 27A and 27B; FIG. 28A is a vertical sectionalview showing an operational state of the simplified keyboard; FIG. 28Bis a plan view showing an example of an input pattern on a fingerprintinput screen;

[0095]FIGS. 29A and 29B show a structure of another example of thesimplified keyboard used in the embodiment; FIG. 29A is a verticalsectional view of the same; FIG. 29B is a plan view of the same; and

[0096]FIGS. 30A and 30B illustrate an operation of the simplifiedkeyboard shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B; FIG. 30A is a vertical sectionalview showing an operational state of the simplified keyboard; FIG. 30Bis a plan view showing an example of an input pattern on the fingerprintinput screen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0097] Hereinafter, description will be made of an embodiment of thisinvention with reference to the drawings.

[0098]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to anembodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the personalauthentication system 1 according to this embodiment comprises aregistering apparatus 2, an authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G), acommunication network 4, a data storage unit for primary verification 5(5A), and a data storage unit for secondary verification 6 (6A to 6G) inorder to authenticate a person using biometrics information (forexample, fingerprint, palm print, finger shape, palm shape, voice,retina, iris, face image, dynamic signature, blood vessel pattern,keystroke, or the like).

[0099] The registering apparatus 2 comprises an information inputtingunit 10 (refer to FIG. 2) to obtain biometrics information of a person(user) to be registered. The registering apparatus 2 obtains data forverification from information inputted using the information inputtingunit 10, and registers the data in the data storage unit 5 (5A) forprimary verification or the data storage unit 6 (6A to 6G) for secondaryverification, which is configured as will be described later withreference to FIG. 2.

[0100] The authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G) determines whether aperson (user) to be authenticated is the person himself/herself(registered person) by using the data for verification which has beenbeforehand registered by the person to be authenticated into the datastorage unit 5 (5A) or the data storage unit 6 (6A to 6G) of theregistering apparatus 2. The authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G) isconfigured as will be described later with reference to FIG. 3.

[0101] The registering apparatus 2 and the plural authenticatingapparatuses 3 (3A to 3G) are communicably connected over thecommunication network 4 such as Internet, an intranet or the like. Eachof the authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G) has an access to the datastorage unit 5 (5A) or 6 (6A to 6G) under the registering apparatus 2over the communication network 4 to refer to data for verificationregistered in the data storage unit 5 (SA) or 6 (6A to 6G).

[0102] Incidentally, the registering apparatus 2 directly registers datafor verification in the data storage unit 5 (5A) or 6 (6A to 6G), asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The registering apparatus 2 may alternativelyregister data for verification in a data storage unit connected over thecommunication network. The authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G) isconnected to the data storage unit 5 (5A) or 6 (6A to 6G) over thecommunication network 4 in the example shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively,the authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G) may be directly connected tothe data storage unit 5 (5A) or 6 (6A to 6G) as shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 9,12, 14, 16, 18 and 25.

[0103]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of the registeringapparatus 2 in the personal authentication system 1 according to thisembodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the registering apparatus 2 comprisesthe information inputting unit 10, a biometrics characteristic dataextracting unit 11 for primary verification, a primary verifying unit12, a primary verification determining unit 13, and a characteristicdata extracting unit 14 for secondary verification.

[0104] The information inputting unit (biometrics information inputtingunit for registration, first biometrics information inputting unit) 10obtains biometrics information of a person (user) to be registered. Inconcrete, the information inputting unit 10 is a fingerprint scanner orthe like that has been already used in general. As kinds of biometricsinformation obtained by the information inputting unit 10, there are,for example, image data such as fingerprint, palm print, finger shape,palm shape, retina, iris, face image, blood vessel pattern and the like,and time series data such as dynamic signature, voice, key stroke andthe like, any one of which is obtained by the information inputting unit10.

[0105] The information inputting unit 10 according to this embodiment isused, not only to obtain biometrics information of a person to beregistered as data for primary verification, but also to input data forsecondary verification which is different from the data for primaryverification. Further, the information inputting unit 10 is providedwith an instruction unit 10 a, which will be described later.

[0106] The biometrics characteristic data extracting unit for primaryverification (first extracting unit) 11 extracts and generatesbiometrics characteristic data based on biometrics information of theperson (user) to be registered, obtained by the information inputtingunit 10, and registers the biometrics characteristic data as registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification into the datastorage unit 5 (5A)for primary verification.

[0107] The primary verifying unit 12 and the primary verificationdetermining unit 13 function as a state determining unit for determininga state of the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification extracted by the extracting unit 11. According to a resultof the determination, it is determined whether the characteristic dataextracting unit 14 for secondary verification 14 carries out extractionand registration.

[0108] The instruction unit 10 a in the information inputting unit 10prompts the person to be registered to input data for secondaryverification through the information inputting unit 10 when it isnecessary to register data for secondary verification. As theinstruction unit 10 a, a light emitting element such as an LED or thelike, a speaker generating buzz or the like, or an indicator such as anLCD or the like is used.

[0109] The primary verifying unit 12 in the registering apparatus 2fulfils the similar function to a primary verifying unit 22 (to bedescribed later) of the authenticating apparatus 3 (3A to 3G), whichperforms the similar primary verification to that performed in personalauthentication.

[0110] Namely, in order to determine whether registered registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification can produce aresult of verification sufficient to authenticate a person in the actualverification, the registering apparatus 2 makes the person to beregistered input the same biometrics information once more, and performsexamination and verification, which will be described later. In thisoccasion, the instruction unit 10 a described above may be used toprompt the person to be registered to input the same biometricsinformation once more.

[0111] At this time, the biometrics characteristic data extracting unit11 for primary verification operates so as to extract and generatebiometrics characteristics data for examination and verification oncemore, based on the re-inputted biometrics information. The primaryverifying unit 12 compares and matches the biometrics characteristicsdata, obtained again by the extracting unit 11, with biometricscharacteristics data registered in the data storage unit 5 in the lastexamination and verification. Namely, the primary verifying unit 12performs examination and verification of registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification.

[0112] The primary verification determining unit 13 receives a result ofthe verification from the primary verifying unit 12 to determine whethera rate of matching is equal to or greater than a predetermined thresholdvalue p or not, thereby determining whether the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification can produce a result ofverification sufficient to authenticate the person in actualverification, that is, whether the characteristic data extracting unit14 for secondary verification carries out extraction and registration.

[0113] When the rate of matching is equal to or greater than thethreshold value p, registration of data for secondary verification isnot performed. When the rate of matching is less than the thresholdvalue p, it is determined that the registry biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification cannot produce a result of verificationsufficient to authenticate the person in actual verification. Theprimary verification determining unit 13 thus makes the instruction unit10 a operate to prompt the person to input data for secondaryverification through the information inputting unit 10. If the thresholdvalue p is set to 101% at this time, it becomes possible that theprocedure always proceeds to an information inputting process forsecondary verification, that is, the information inputting process forsecondary verification is always performed on all registered persons.

[0114] The characteristic data extracting unit (second extracting unit)14 for secondary verification extracts and generates a single kind orplural kinds of data, which is different from the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification, based on informationinputted by using the information inputting unit 10 according to aresult of the verification by the primary verification determining unit13 (instructing operation by the instruction unit 10 a), and registersthe data as registry data for secondary verification in the data storageunit 6 (6A to 6G) for secondary verification. The registry data forsecondary verification is roughly classified into biometricscharacteristic data extracted from the biometrics information on aperson to be registered and non-biometrics characteristic data extractedfrom information intentionally inputted by the person to be registeredusing the information inputting unit 10.

[0115] When the registry data for secondary verification is biometricscharacteristic data, the biometrics characteristic data is extractedfrom biometrics information which is different from biometricsinformation obtained for primary verification. The registry data forsecondary verification is, in concrete, described in items (i) and (ii)below.

[0116] (i) Biometrics characteristic data extracted from biometricsinformation of the same type as biometrics information, which isobtained in primary verification, but obtained from one or more partswhich are different from a part from which the biometrics informationhas been obtained in the primary verification, is used as registry datafor secondary verification. More concretely, when the biometricsinformation is fingerprint image data, biometrics characteristic dataextracted from fingerprint image data of one or more fingers which aredifferent from a finger, from which the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification has been obtained, is usedas registry data for secondary verification.

[0117] (ii) Biometrics characteristic data of a different type frombiometrics characteristic data obtained in primary verificationextracted from biometrics information, which is obtained from the samepart or a different part but of the same type as biometrics informationobtained in the primary verification, is used as registry data forsecondary verification. When the biometrics information is fingerprintimage data, biometrics characteristic data (for example, fingerprintpattern) of a different type from the biometrics characteristic data(for example, minutiae) obtained in primary verification, extracted fromfingerprint image data of the same finger as a registered finger fromwhich the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification has been obtained, or, one or more fingers which aredifferent from the registered finger, is used as registry data forsecondary verification.

[0118] When registry data for secondary verification is non-biometricscharacteristic data, the non-biometrics characteristic data is asdescribed in items {circle over (1)} to {circle over (6)} below.

[0119] {circle over (1)} Time series data having a pattern determined bya person to be registered is used as non-biometrics characteristic data.When the information inputting unit 10 obtains fingerprint image data asbiometrics information, for example, the person taps an image inputscreen of the information inputting unit 10 with his/her fingeraccording to a unique pattern determined beforehand to input time seriesinformation (Morse code or the like). The extracting unit 14 extractstime series data in a predetermined pattern as non-biometricscharacteristic data from image data obtained in time series at thattime.

[0120] {circle over (2)} An input angle of a predetermined part of abody on the image input screen, detected as image data by theinformation inputting unit 10, is used as non-biometrics characteristicdata. When the information inputting unit 10 obtains fingerprint imagedata as biometrics information, for example, the person touches withhis/her finger and arranges the finger at a predetermined unique inputangle on the image input screen of the information inputting unit 10.The extracting unit 14 then extracts the input angle to a referencedirection as non-biometrics characteristic data from image data obtainedin such state.

[0121] {circle over (3)} A contact position of a predetermined part of abody on the image input screen, detected as image data by theinformation inputting unit 10, is used as non-biometrics characteristicdata. When the information inputting unit 10 obtains fingerprint imagedata as biometrics information, for example, the person touches withhis/her finger and arranges the finger at a predetermined uniqueposition on the image input screen of the information inputting unit 10.The extracting unit 14 then extracts a contact position of the finger asnon-biometrics characteristic data from image data obtained in suchstate.

[0122] {circle over (4)} Information on a contact trace on the imageinput screen, detected as image data by the information inputting unit10, is used as non-biometrics characteristic data. When the informationinputting unit 10 obtains fingerprint image data as biometricsinformation, for example, the person draws a unique pattern on the imageinput screen of the information inputting unit 10 while touching theimage input screen with his/her finger, a pen-like device or the like toenter it. The extracting unit 14 then extracts contact trace informationas non-biometrics characteristic data from image data obtained at thattime.

[0123] {circle over (5)} A contact pattern on the image input screen,detected as image data by the information inputting unit 10, is used asnon-biometrics characteristic data. When the information inputting unit10 obtains fingerprint image data as biometrics information, forexample, the person forms a unique contact pattern on the image inputscreen of the information inputting unit 10. The extracting unit 14 thenextracts a contact pattern as non-biometrics characteristic data fromimage data obtained in such state. At this time, it is alternativelypossible to form a contact pattern on the image input screen with anelectronic seal (pattern information input medium) to be described laterwith reference to FIGS. 20 through 24. Such electronic seal is possessedand carried by a user (person to be registered, registered person,person to be authenticated) . When registration is made using anelectronic seal, the same electronic seal is used when secondaryverification is actually performed, as a matter of course.

[0124] {circle over (6)} When character data, corresponding to each ofplural different contact patterns or each of positions of pluraldifferent contact points on the image input screen of the informationinputting unit 10, is beforehand set, the character data correspondingto a contact pattern or a position of a contact point detected as imagedata by the information inputting unit 10 is used as non-biometricscharacteristic data. When the information inputting unit 10 obtainsfingerprint image data as biometrics information, for example, theperson forms one or more contact patterns corresponding to uniquecharacter data or a character data string, or forms one or more contactpoints at one or more positions corresponding to the character data orthe character data string, equivalent to a personal identificationnumber, a password or the like, on the image input screen of theinformation inputting unit 10. The extracting unit 14 then extractscharacter data or a character data string corresponding to the contactpatterns or the contact points as non-biometrics characteristic datafrom image data obtained at that time. At this time, a keyboard unit tobe described later with reference to FIGS. 27 through 30 may be used toperform a contacting/inputting operation on the image input screen.

[0125] The registering apparatus 2 is realized by connecting theinformation inputting unit 10 such as a fingerprint scanner (fingerprintunit) or the like to a computer configured with, for example, a CPU, anROM, an RAM, a display and the like inter-connected. In this case,functions of the biometrics characteristic data extracting unit 11 forprimary verification, the primary verifying unit 12, the primaryverification determining unit 13 and the characteristic data extractingunit 14 for secondary verification are realized with a CPU. Therefore,the registering apparatus 2 can be realized by using an existingregistering apparatus as it is without modifying at all a structure ofhardware of the existing registering apparatus.

[0126] Next, a procedure for registry by the registering apparatus 2 inthe above structure according to this embodiment will be described withreference to a flowchart (steps S1 to S5) shown in FIG. 3.

[0127] The person (user) to be registered inputs biometrics informationfrom the information inputting unit 10 as same as before. The biometricscharacteristic data extracting unit 11 extracts and generates biometricscharacteristic data based on the biometrics information obtained by theinformation inputting unit 10. The biometrics characteristic data isregistered as registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification in the data storage unit 5 (step S1).

[0128] After that, the person to be registered inputs the samebiometrics information once more through the same information inputtingunit 10. The biometrics characteristic data extracting unit 11 extractsand generates biometrics characteristic data for examination andverification based on the biometrics information which is inputted oncemore (step S2). The primary verifying unit 12 compares and matches thebiometrics characteristic data for examination and verification with theregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verificationobtained at step S1 (step S3).

[0129] The primary verification determining unit 13 determines whether aresult of the verification, that is, a rate of matching, obtained in theprimary verification unit 12, is equal to or greater than apredetermined threshold value p (step S4). Whereby, it is determinedwhether the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification can produce a result of verification sufficient toauthenticate the person when verification is actually performed. Whenthe rate of matching is equal to or greater than the predetermined valuep (YES route at step S4), the process is terminated without registeringdata for secondary verification.

[0130] When the rate of matching is less than the threshold value p (NOroute at step S4), it is determined that the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification cannot produce a resultsufficient to authenticate the person when verification is actuallyperformed. The instruction unit 10 a thus operates to prompt the personto be registered to input data for secondary verification through theinformation inputting unit 10.

[0131] When the person to be registered inputs information for secondaryverification trough the same information inputting unit 10 as the onethrough which the biometrics information for primary verification hasbeen inputted in response to the instruction from the instruction unit10 a, the characteristic data extracting unit 14 extracts and generatescharacteristic data from the information for secondary verification. Thecharacteristic data is registered as registry data for secondaryverification in the data storage unit 6 (step S5) , and the process isterminated.

[0132] At this time, if the threshold value p for determination at thestep S4 is set to 101%, the procedure always proceeds to the informationinputting process for secondary verification, it is thereby possible toregister registry data for secondary verification of all registeredpersons.

[0133]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a basic structure of theauthenticating apparatus 3 in the personal authentication system 1according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the authenticatingapparatus 3 comprises an information inputting unit 20, a biometricscharacteristic data extracting unit 21 for primary verification, aprimary verifying unit 22, a verification determining unit 23, asecondary verification shift determining unit 24, a characteristic dataextracting unit 25 for secondary verification, a secondary verifyingunit 26, a final personal determining unit 27, a secondary verificationshift setting unit 28, and a personal information setting unit 29.

[0134] The information inputting unit (biometrics information inputtingunit for authentication, second biometrics information inputting unit)20 obtains biometrics information of a person (user) to beauthenticated. The biometrics information obtained by the informationinputting unit 20 is of the same type as data stored in the data storageunit 5. The information inputting unit 20 is thus a device of the sametype (namely, a device obtaining the same type of biometricsinformation) as the information inputting unit 10 for registry.

[0135] The information inputting unit 20 is used to not only obtainbiometrics information of the person to be authenticated as data forprimary verification but also input data for secondary verificationwhich is different from the data for primary verification, similarly tothe information inputting unit 10. The information inputting unit 20 isequipped with an instruction unit 20 a to be described later.

[0136] The biometrics characteristic data extracting unit (thirdextracting unit) 21 for primary verification extracts biometricscharacteristic data to be authenticated from biometrics information ofthe person (user), obtained by the information inputting unit 20.

[0137] The primary verifying unit 22 compares and matches the biometricscharacteristic data extracted by the extracting unit 21 with theregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification of theperson registered beforehand in the data storage unit 5.

[0138] When receiving a result of verification from the primaryverifying unit 22, the verification determining unit (personaldetermining unit) 23 determines whether a rate of matching obtained inthe primary verification is equal to or more than a primary verificationacceptable threshold value n or not. The verification determining unit23 also determines whether a rate of matching obtained in secondaryverification is equal to or more than a secondary verificationacceptable threshold value m or not when a result of verification fromthe secondary verifying unit 26, which will be described later, isreceived.

[0139] When the verification determining unit 23 determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24 determines whether the rate of matching in theprimary verification is equal to or more than a secondary verificationshift threshold value s (s<n) or not. Additionally, the secondaryverification shift determining unit 24 also refers to a state of settingby the secondary verification shift setting unit 28 and the personalinformation setting unit 29 (state of definition of whether secondaryverification is to be performed) or not, and determines whethersecondary verification is necessary, that is, whether the procedureshifts to secondary verification or not, on the basis of the state ofsetting and a result of determination on the rate of matching.

[0140] The secondary verification shift setting unit 28 is served tovoluntarily set and define whether verification by the secondaryverifying unit 25 is to be performed or not. The personal informationsetting unit 29 beforehand sets and defines information on whetherverification by the secondary verifying unit 25 is to be performed ornot for each user (registered person) as personal information. Thepersonal information is stored together with the registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification in, for example, the datastorage unit 5.

[0141] When determining that the rate of matching of the primaryverification is equal to or more than the secondary verification shiftthreshold value s (s<n) and recognizing that the secondary verificationshift setting unit 28 and the person information setting unit 29recognize that shift to the secondary verification is allowed, thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24 makes the instructionunit 20 a operate to prompt the person to be authenticated to input datafor secondary verification through the information inputting unit 20.Incidentally, as the instruction unit 20 a, a light emitting elementsuch as an LED or the like, a speaker generating buzz or the like, or anindicator such as an LCD or the like, for example, is used similarly tothe instruction unit 10 a.

[0142] The characteristic data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit)25 for secondary verification extracts data for secondary verificationfrom information inputted using the information inputting unit 20according to a result of determination by the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24 (instructing operation by the instruction unit20). The data to be authenticated which is extracted at this time is, ofcourse, of the same type as the registry data for secondary verificationregistered in the data storage unit 6 for secondary verification in theabove-described registering apparatus 2 at the time of registration.

[0143] The secondary verifying unit 26 compares and matches the dataextracted by the extracting unit 25 with the registry data for secondaryverification of the person to be authenticated. The registry data isregistered beforehand in the data storage unit 6.

[0144] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27 cooperates with the above-described verification determining unit 23to function as a personal determining unit that determines whether theperson to be authenticated is the person himself/herself (registeredperson) or not, on the basis of results of verification by the primaryverifying unit 22 and the secondary verifying unit 26. When theverification determining unit 23 determines that a rate of matching inprimary verification is equal to or more than the threshold value n orthat a rate of matching in secondary verification is equal to or morethan the threshold value m, the final personal determining unit 27determines and authenticates that the person to be authenticated is theperson himself/herself (registered person). When the verificationdetermining unit 23 determines that a rate of matching in secondaryverification is less than the threshold value m, or when the secondaryverification shift determining unit 24 determines that shift tosecondary verification is unnecessary, the final personal determiningunit 27 neither determines nor authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person), as amatter of course.

[0145] Meanwhile, when plurality of registry data for secondaryverification are registered (for example, when biometrics characteristicdata extracted from fingerprint image data of plural fingers isregistered), the person to be authenticated operates to input biometricsinformation plural times correspondingly to that. The extracting unit 25extracts plurality of data to be authenticated from the biometricsinformation. In such case, the final personal determining unit 27determines and authenticates that the person to be authenticated is theperson himself/herself (registered person) when rates of verificationthat are results of secondary verification of all authenticating objectdata are equal to or more than the threshold value m.

[0146] The authenticating apparatus 3 is actually realized by connectingthe information inputting unit 20, such as a fingerprint scanner(fingerprint unit) or the like, to a computer configured with, forexample, a CPU, an ROM, an RAM, a display and the like inter-connectedby bus lines. In this case, functions as the biometrics characteristicdata extracting unit 21 for primary verification, the primary verifyingunit 22, the verification determining unit 23, the secondaryverification shift determining unit 24, the characteristic dataextracting unit 25 for secondary verification, the secondary verifyingunit 26, and the final personal determining unit 27, are realized with aCPU. Therefore, the authenticating apparatus 3 according to thisembodiment can be realized by using an existing authenticating apparatusas it is without necessity for modifying the hardware structure of theexisting registering apparatus at all. Incidentally, each of theauthenticating apparatuses 3A to 3G to be described later are structuredin a similar way to the authenticating apparatus 3.

[0147] Further, it is possible to provide an apparatus having functionsof both the registering apparatus 2 and the authenticating apparatus 3described above. Such apparatus is realized by connecting an informationinputting unit such as a fingerprint scanner (fingerprint unit) or thelike to a computer configured with, for example, a CPU, an ROM, an RAM,a display and the like, as described above. In such case, oneinformation inputting unit may be served as both the informationinputting units 10 and 20. Additionally, the data extracting units 11and 21, the data extracting units 14 and 25, the primary verifying units12 and 22, and the verification determining units 13 and 23 may berealized with the same software, respectively.

[0148] Next, a procedure for authentication by the authenticatingapparatus 3 in the above structure according to this embodiment will bedescribed with reference to a flowchart (steps S11 to S20) shown in FIG.5.

[0149] A person (user) to be authenticated inputs biometrics informationvia the information inputting unit 20 as same as before. The biometricscharacteristic data extracting unit 21 extracts biometricscharacteristic data from the biometrics information obtained by theinformation inputting unit 20 (step S11).

[0150] The primary verifying unit 22 compares and matches the biometricscharacteristic data extracted by the extracting unit 21 with registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification of the person tobe authenticated (step S12). The registry biometrics characteristic datais registered beforehand in the data storage unit 5. The verificationdetermining unit 23 determines whether a rate of matching obtained inprimary verification is equal to or more than the primary verificationacceptable threshold value n or not (step S13).

[0151] When the verification determining unit 23 determines that therate of matching in the primary verification equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S13), the final personaldetermining unit 27 determines and authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) isobtained in the primary verification (step S19), and the process isterminated.

[0152] When the verification determining unit 23 determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the thresholdvalue n (NO route at step S13) , that is, when a rate of matchingsufficient to determine that the person to be authenticated is theperson himself/herself (registered person) cannot be obtained in theprimary verification, the secondary verification shift determining unit24 determines whether the rate of matching in the primary verificationis equal to or more than the secondary verification shift thresholdvalue s (s<n) or not (step S14).

[0153] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24determines that the rate of matching in the primary verification equalto or more than the threshold value s (YES route at step S14), thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24 uninterruptedly refersto a state of setting (state of defining of whether secondaryverification is to be performed or not) by the secondary verificationshift setting unit 28 and the personal information setting unit 29 todetermine on the basis of the state of setting whether shift to thesecondary verification is allowed or not (step S15).

[0154] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24recognizes that shift to secondary verification is set to be allowed(YES route at step S15) , the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationvia the information inputting unit 20.

[0155] When the person to be authenticated inputs information forsecondary verification via the same information inputting unit 20 asthat used when the biometrics information that is an object ofauthentication has been inputted in response to the instruction from theinstruction unit 20 a, the characteristic data extracting unit forsecondary verification 25 extracts authenticating object datacorresponding to the registry data for secondary verification from theinformation for secondary verification (step S16).

[0156] The secondary verifying unit 26 performs secondary verification(relief verification) to compare and match the data extracted by theextracting unit 25 with registry data for secondary verification of theperson to be authenticated (step S17). The registry data is registeredbeforehand in the data storage unit 6. The verification determining unit23 determines whether a rate of matching obtained in the secondaryverification is equal to or more than the secondary verificationacceptable threshold value m or not (step S18).

[0157] When the verification determining unit 23 determines that therate of matching in the secondary verification is equal to or more thanthe threshold value m (YES route at step S18), the final personaldetermining unit 27 determines and authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) isobtained in the secondary verification (step S19), and the process isterminated.

[0158] On the other hand, when the verification determining unit 23determines that the rate of matching in the secondary verification isless than the threshold value m (NO route at step S18), that is, when arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) cannotbe obtained even in the secondary verification, the final personaldetermining unit 27 determines not to authenticate (does notauthenticate that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself (registered person)) (step S20), and the process isterminated.

[0159] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24determines that the rate of matching in the primary verification is lessthan the secondary verification shift threshold value s (NO route atstep S14), or when shift to secondary verification is set to beunallowable (NO route at step S15), the final personal determining unit27 determines not to authenticate (step S20), and the process isterminated.

[0160] Therefore, in the personal authentication system 1 according tothis embodiment, when a rate of matching in primary verification fallswithin a predetermined range (range from equal to or more than s to lessthan n in this embodiment) and shift to secondary verification isallowed even though primary verification results in rejection ofauthentication, information for carrying out secondary verification isinputted from the information inputting unit 20, and the secondaryverification (relief verification) is carried out. At this time, it ispossible to authenticate a person in the secondary verification bysetting the secondary verification shift threshold value s to 0% anddefining that the secondary verification is always performed when theprimary verification is failed, even if personal authentication becomesimpossible in the primary verification due to a factor such as injury orthe like.

[0161] According to the personal authentication system 1 (theregistering apparatus 2 and the authenticating apparatus 3) of thisembodiment of this invention, when biometrics characteristic data thatis referred to, when normal authentication (primary verification) isperformed is registered, registry data for secondary verification(personal identification information), which is different from thebiometrics characteristic data and is not limited to data relating tobiometrics, is registered using the information inputting unit 10. Bothwhen the registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification is registered, and when registry data for secondaryverification is registered, the same information inputting unit 10 isused.

[0162] By registering registry data for secondary verification,secondary verification (relief verification) using the registry data forsecondary verification is carried out even when authentication inprimary verification results in failure in authentication. It is therebypossible to relieve users who cannot receive authentication in primaryverification due to any factor after registration, users whose states ofbiometrics are unstable, and users whose registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification cannot be obtained, withoutnewly adding an apparatus. This allows a measure for relief in personalauthentication without causing complexity or an increase in cost.

[0163] Upon registration, the primary verifying unit 12 and the primaryverification determining unit 13 determine a state of biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification, and extraction andregistration for secondary verification are carried out according to aresult of the determination. Accordingly, it is possible to recognize aperson whose state of biometrics to be obtained in primary verificationis unstable or a person whose registry biometrics characteristic datafor primary verification cannot be obtained from the beginning accordingto the determination, and as a measure for relief, it is possible toregister in advance registry data for secondary verification of onlysuch persons.

[0164] When secondary verification is required in the authenticatingapparatus 3, the instruction unit 3 prompts a person to be authenticatedto input data for secondary verification through the informationinputting unit 20. The person to be authenticated can smoothly andcertainly shift to an operation for inputting the data for secondaryverification according to the instruction.

[0165] In the authenticating apparatus 3, it is possible to voluntarilyset by the secondary verification shift setting unit 28 whethersecondary verification is to be carried out or not. In addition, it ispossible to individually set a registered person who should besecondary-matched, which makes it possible to voluntarily set or set foreach registered person whether the procedure should shift from primaryverification to secondary verification. Accordingly, it is possible tocontrol execution/non-execution of secondary verification according toan environment in which the system is used, or meeting a demand by thesystem manager or each registered person.

[0166] Next, an example of a concrete structure of the authenticatingapparatus used in the personal authentication system 1 of thisembodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 through 30.

[0167] Each of the authenticating systems 3A to 3G to be described inthe following examples is to realize a measure for relief (reliefverification) when authentication by fingerprints results in failure ina system in which a fingerprint is obtained as biometrics information toauthenticate a person. This invention is not limited to only fingerprintauthentication, but also applicable to a system in which palm print,finger shape, palm shape, voice (voice print), retina, iris, face image,dynamic signature, blood vessel pattern, keystroke or the like, forexample, is obtained to carry out biometrics authentication. Even in apersonal authentication system using biometrics information other thanfingerprints, this invention can accomplish a measure for relief whenpersonal authentication becomes impossible due to an unexpected factor.

[0168] FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a first example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 isa block diagram showing a structure of the authenticating apparatus 3A.FIG. 7 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure for authentication bythe authenticating apparatus 3A. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for illustratinga modified example of the procedure for authentication by theauthenticating apparatus 3A. In FIG. 6, the same reference characters asthose described hereinbefore designate like or corresponding parts,detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0169] The authenticating apparatus 3A shown in FIG. 6 obtainsfingerprint image data from one or more fingers other than a finger fromwhich registry biometrics characteristics data for primary verificationhas been obtained, when personal authentication, using fingerprint,results in failure (when primary verification is failed) in the personalauthentication system 1, performs secondary verification by usingbiometrics characteristic data (authenticating object data) extractedfrom the fingerprint image data, and authenticates the person when ratesof verification of all the fingers are equal to or more than thesecondary verification acceptable threshold value m even if the rate ofmatching decreases due to roughness or dryness of the fingertips inwinter time, thereby accomplishing a measure for relief.

[0170] When the authenticating apparatus 3A is employed, in theregistering apparatus 2 of the personal authentication system 1, theinformation inputting unit 10 obtains fingerprint image data of a person(user) to be registered, the biometrics characteristic data extractingunit for primary verification 11 extracts and generates biometricscharacteristic data from the fingerprint image data, and the datastorage unit for primary verification 5A stores the biometricscharacteristic data as registry biometrics characteristic data forprimary verification. The information inputting unit 10 also obtainsfingerprint image data of one or more fingers (the number of fingers isdescribed as k in this embodiment) other than the finger from which theregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification hasbeen obtained, the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 14 extracts biometrics characteristic data from thefingerprint image data, and the data storage unit for secondaryverification 6A registers the biometrics characteristic data as registrydata for secondary verification. Incidentally, procedures forregistering data in the data storage unit for primary verification 5Aand the data storage unit for secondary verification 6A are as have beendescribed above with reference to FIG. 3. In this case, the informationinputting unit 10 is naturally configured with a fingerprint scanner(optical fingerprint unit, capacitance fingerprint unit).

[0171] At this time, the biometrics character data extracting unit forprimary verification 11 and the characteristic data extracting unit forsecondary verification 14 both extract biometrics characteristic data ofthe same type from fingerprint image data, which can be thus commonlyused and integrated.

[0172] Biometrics characteristic data extracted by the biometricscharacteristic data extracting unit for primary verification 11, thecharacteristic data extracting unit for secondary verification 14, or abiometrics characteristic data extracting unit 21A to be described lateris, for example, coordinates of a bifurcation (minutia) of a fingerprintridge, coordinates of an ending (minutia), coordinates of a crossing,coordinates of a core of a fingerprint, coordinates of a delta of afingerprint, a direction of a ridge of a fingerprint, a distance betweenminutiae, the number of ridges between minutiae of a fingerprint, or thelike.

[0173] The authenticating apparatus 3A comprises, as shown in FIG. 6, aninformation inputting unit 20A, a biometrics characteristic dataextracting unit 21A, a biometrics characteristic data verifying unit22A, a verification determining unit 23A, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24A, and a final personal determining unit 27A.

[0174] The information inputting unit (biometrics information inputtingunit for authentication) 20A corresponds to the information inputtingunit 20 shown in FIG. 4, which is configured with, for example, anoptical fingerprint unit in order to obtain fingerprint image data asbiometrics information of a person (user) to be authenticated.

[0175] The biometrics characteristic data extracting unit (thirdextracting unit, fourth extracting unit) 21A fulfils the similarfunction to the extracting units 21 and 25 shown in FIG. 4, whichextracts, for example, minutia data as data to be authenticated fromfingerprint image data of the person (user) to be authenticated. Thefingerprint image data is obtained by the information inputting unit 20Ain primary verification or secondary verification.

[0176] The biometrics characteristic data verifying unit (primaryverifying unit, secondary verifying unit) 22A fulfils the similarfunction to the verifying units 22 and 26 shown in FIG. 4. In theprimary verification, the biometrics characteristic data verifying unit22A compares and matches the biometrics characteristic data (minutiadata of fingerprint, here) extracted by-the extracting unit 21A withregistry biometrics characteristics data for primary verification of theperson to be authenticated. The registry biometrics characteristic datais registered beforehand in the data storage unit 5A. In secondaryverification, the biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22Acompares and matches the data extracted by the extracting unit 21A withregistry data for secondary verification of the person to beauthenticated. The registry data is registered beforehand in the datastorage unit 6A.

[0177] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Afulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23A determineswhether a rate of matching obtained in the primary verification is equalto or more than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n ornot. When receiving a result of secondary verification from theverifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23A determineswhether a rate of matching obtained in the secondary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification acceptable thresholdvalue m or not.

[0178] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24A correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the verification determining unit 23A determines that a rate ofmatching in the primary verification is less than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24A determines whether the rate of matching inthe primary verification is equal to or more than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (s<n) or not, refers to a state ofsetting by the secondary verification shift setting unit 28 and thepersonal information setting unit (state of defining of whethersecondary verification is to be carried out or not), and determineswhether secondary verification is necessary, that is, whether theprocedure is to be proceeded to secondary verification or not, on thebasis of the state of setting and a result of determination on the rateof matching.

[0179] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27A corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23A describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27A functions as a personaldetermining unit determining whether the person to be authenticated isthe person himself/herself (registered person) or not, on the basis of aresult of verification by the biometrics characteristic data verifyingunit 22A, which fulfils the similar function (determining andauthenticating a person) to the final personal determining unit 27 shownin FIG. 4, according to a result of determination by the verificationdetermining unit 23A.

[0180] Here, biometrics characteristic data for primary verification andregistry data for secondary verification are separately stored andmanaged in the data storage unit for primary verification 5A and thedata storage unit for secondary verification 6A, respectively. When theauthenticating apparatus 3A described above is employed, the biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification and the registry data forsecondary verification may be together stored in one biometricscharacteristic data storage unit since the biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification and the registry data for secondaryverification are data of the same type extracted from the same type ofbiometrics information (fingerprint image data).

[0181] Next, a procedure for authentication by the authenticatingapparatus 3A in the above structure will be described with reference toa flowchart (steps S21 to S32) shown in FIG. 7.

[0182] First, a person to be authenticated inputs fingerprint image dataof the first finger from the information inputting unit 20A in the samemanner as before. The biometrics characteristic data extracting unit 21Aextracts biometrics characteristic data of the first finger from thefingerprint image data obtained by the information inputting unit 20A(step S21).

[0183] The biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22A performsprimary verification to compare and match the biometrics characteristicdata extracted by the extracting unit 21A with registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification of the person to beauthenticated (step S22). The registry biometrics characteristic data isregistered beforehand in the data storage unit 5A. The verificationdetermining unit 23A determines whether a rate of matching obtained inthe primary verification is equal to or more than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value nor not (step S23),

[0184] When the verification determining unit 23A determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is equal to or more thanthe threshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27A determines and authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person), since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) isobtained in the primary verification (step S31), and the process isterminated.

[0185] When the verification determining unit 23A determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the thresholdvalue n (NO route at step S23), that is, when a rate of matching,sufficient to determine that the person to be authenticated is theperson himself/herself, is not obtained in the primary verification, thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24A determines whether therate of matching in the primary verification is equal to or more thanthe secondary verification shift threshold value s (s<n) or not (stepS24).

[0186] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Adetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the secondary verification shift determiningunit 24A uninterruptedly refers to a state of setting by the secondaryverification shift setting unit 28 and the personal information settingunit 29, and determines on the basis of the state of setting of whethershift to the secondary verification is allowed or not (step S25).

[0187] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Arecognizes that shift to secondary verification is set to be allowed(YES route at step S25), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationfrom the information inputting unit 20A.

[0188] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated successivelyinputs fingerprint image data of k fingers as information for secondaryverification from the information inputting unit 20A. The authenticatingapparatus 3A extracts biometrics characteristic data as data to beauthenticated from the fingerprint image data of each of the fingers,and carries out secondary verification (relief verification) (steps S26to S30).

[0189] Namely, the authenticating apparatus 3A first defines a variablei whose initial value is 1, and determines whether the variable i isgreater than the number of times relief verification data is inputted k(step S26) When the variable i is not greater than k (NO route at stepS26), fingerprint image data of the i-th finger is inputted. Thebiometrics characteristic data extracting unit 21A extracts biometricscharacteristic data of the i-th finger from the fingerprint image dataobtained by the information inputting unit 20A (step S27).

[0190] The biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22A comparesand matches the biometrics characteristic data extracted by theextracting unit 21A with registry data for secondary verification of thei-th finger of the person to be authenticated (step S28). The registrydata is registered beforehand in the data storage unit 6A. Theverification determining unit 23A determines whether a rate of matchingobtained in the secondary verification is equal to or more than thesecondary verification acceptable threshold value m or not (step S29).

[0191] When the verification determining unit 23A determines that therate of matching in the secondary verification is equal to or more thanthe threshold value m (YES route at step S29), the variable i isincremented by one (step S30), and the procedure goes back to step S26.Until verification of the k-th finger is completed, the process fromstep S26 to step S30 is repetitively carried out.

[0192] Here, the secondary verification acceptable threshold value m issuch set as to be less than the primary verification acceptablethreshold value m. Conditions under which the rate of matching isaccepted in the secondary verification is that rates of verification ofcharacteristic data of all of k fingers are equal to or more than thethreshold value m.

[0193] When rates of verification of characteristic data of all the kfingers are equal to or more than the threshold value m (YES route atstep S26), the final personal determining unit 27A determines andauthenticates that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself or registered person (step S31), and the process isterminated.

[0194] On the other hand, when the verification determining unit 23Adetermines that a rate of matching of a certain finger in the secondaryverification is less than the threshold value m while the plural fingersare successively secondary matched (NO route at step S29), that is, wheneven one finger whose rate of matching in the secondary verification isless than the threshold value m exists, the final personal determiningunit 27A determines at that moment not to authenticate (step S32), andthe process is terminated.

[0195] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Adetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification is lessthan the secondary verification shift threshold value s (NO route atstep S24), or when shift to secondary verification is set to beunallowable (NO route at step S25), the final personal determining unit27A determines not to authenticate (step S32), and the process isterminated.

[0196] The authenticating apparatus 3A compares and matches minutia dataof the first finger with minutia data (registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification) registered beforehand, asstated above. When a rate of the verification exceeds the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the authenticating apparatus3A authenticates that the person is the person himself/herself (theperson is registered), and completes the process. If the rate of theverification does not exceed the primary verification acceptablethreshold value n, the authenticating apparatus 3A proceeds to therelief authenticating process only when the rate of the verificationexceeds the threshold value, according to which it is determined whetherthe relief authentication is carried out not. By setting the thresholdvalue, according to which it is determined whether relief authenticationis carried out, to zero, it is possible for the procedure to shift tothe relief authenticating process (secondary process) even when the rateof matching is 0% due to injury or the like.

[0197] In the relief authentication (secondary verification),fingerprint biometrics information is inputted k times, which is apredefined number of times relief information is inputted and can bearbitrarily changed, and the fingerprint biometrics information ismatched with minutia data registered beforehand. The secondaryverification acceptable threshold value m is set to be less than theprimary verification acceptable threshold value n. When fingerprints ofall fingers fall within a range of the secondary verification acceptablethreshold value m, a person to be authenticated object person isauthenticated, and a series of the authenticating process is terminated.

[0198] In FIG. 7, verification is carried out each time fingerprintinformation for secondary verification is inputted, and “notauthenticate” is determined when a finger that does not reach the rateof the secondary verification is found during the verification. However,it is alternatively possible that the final personal determining unit27A collectively determines to authenticate the person when, forexample, nine fingers out of ten fingers reach the secondaryverification acceptable threshold value m.

[0199] In relation to the authenticating apparatus 3A, a reliefauthentication in view of secondary verification has been described.When verification data used in secondary verification is of the sametype as biometrics characteristic data in primary verification as thisexample, it is alternatively possible to always match plural types ofbiometrics characteristic data irrespective of success/failure of theprimary verification.

[0200] A procedure (flowchart) for authentication in such case is shownin FIG. 8. As clearly shown when comparing FIG. 7 with FIG. 8, theprimary verification process (steps S21 to S23) and the process ofdetermining shift to the secondary verification (steps S24 and S25),which are performed in the authenticating procedure shown in FIG. 7, areomitted in the authenticating procedure shown in FIG. 8.

[0201] In the authenticating apparatus 3A and the personalauthentication system with the authenticating apparatus 3A, minutia dataextracted from fingerprint image data of fingers other than a fingerused in primary verification is used as registry data for secondaryverification, whereby data of a user necessary in the primaryverification and secondary verification can be inputted from oneinformation inputting unit 10 or 20A.

[0202] Primary verification and secondary verification are carried outusing biometrics characteristic data of the same type, so that it isunnecessary to prepare an extraction algorithm or a verificationalgorithm for each of the primary verification and the secondaryverification.

[0203] Namely, the extracting unit 11 and the extracting unit 14 can becommonly used and integrated in the registering apparatus 2. Inaddition, the authenticating apparatus 2 does not need to have thebiometrics characteristic data extracting unit (the third extractingunit and the fourth extracting unit), or the biometrics characteristicdata verifying unit (the primary verifying unit and the secondaryverifying unit) for each of primary verification and secondaryverification. In consequence, it is possible to carry out both primaryverification and secondary verification (relief verification) usingexisting hardware and software as they are.

[0204]FIGS. 9 through 11 depict a second example of the concretestructure of the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment.FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a structure of the authenticatingapparatus 3B. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus 3B. FIGS. 11A through 11Hare diagrams showing concrete examples of fingerprints in order toexplain types of patterns of fingerprints. Incidentally, the samereference characters in FIG. 9 designate like or corresponding parts,detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0205] The authenticating apparatus 3B shown in FIG. 9 obtainsfingerprint image data of equal to or more than one finger which is thesame finger or a different finger from a finger from which registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification has beenextracted when personal authentication by a fingerprint results infailure in the personal authentication system 1 (when primaryverification is failed), and carries out secondary verification using afingerprint pattern (data to be authenticated extracted from thefingerprint image data. Whereby, the authenticating apparatus 3Baccomplishes a measure for relief to authenticate a person even when arate of matching decreases due to roughness or dryness of the fingertips in winter, etc., so long as patterns of fingerprints of all fingersmatch with registry data for secondary verification stored in the datastorage unit for secondary verification 6B.

[0206] When the authenticating apparatus 3B is employed, the registeringapparatus 2 of the personal authentication system 1 extracts biometricscharacteristic data from fingerprint image data of a person (user)to beregistered in the similar manner to the above-described, and registersit as registry biometrics characteristic data for primary verificationin the data storage unit for primary verification 5A. The registeringapparatus 2 also obtains by the information inputting unit 10fingerprint image data of equal to or more than one finger (the numberof fingers is described as k in this embodiment) which is the samefinger or a different finger from the finger from which the registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification has beenobtained, extracts pattern data of the fingerprint from the fingerprintimage data by the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 14, and registers the pattern data as registry data forsecondary verification in the data storage unit for secondaryverification 6B. Procedures for data registration in the data storageunit for primary verification 5A and the data storage unit for secondaryverification 6B by the registering apparatus 2 are as have beendescribed above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0207] Patterns of fingerprints are shown in FIGS. 11A through 11H, forexample. A pattern shown in FIG. 11A is a right central pocket looptype. A pattern shown in FIG. 11B is a left central pocket loop type. Apattern shown in FIG. 11C is a double loop type. A pattern shown in FIG.11D is a plain arch type. A pattern shown in FIG. 11E is a plain whorltype. A pattern shown in FIG. 11F is a left loop type. A pattern shownin FIG. 11G is a right loop type. A pattern shown in FIG. 11H is atented arch type. A type of such pattern is extracted from each fingeras pattern data, and used as registry data for secondary verification.Note that FIGS. 11A through 11H shows merely one example ofclassification of patterns; a method for classifying patterns offingerprints is not particularly defined in this embodiment.

[0208] The authenticating apparatus 3B comprises a verificationdetermining unit 23B, a secondary verification shift determining unit24B, a pattern data extracting unit 25B, a pattern data verifying unit26B, and a final personal determining unit 27B along with theinformation inputting unit 20A, the biometrics characteristic dataextracting unit 21A, and the biometrics characteristic data verifyingunit 22A.

[0209] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Bfulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23B determineswhether a rate of matching in the primary verification is equal to ormore than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n or not,and also determines coincidence of two sorts of pattern data on thebasis of a result of secondary verification from the pattern dataverifying unit 26B to be described later.

[0210] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24B correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the verification determining unit 23B determines that the rate ofprimary verification is less than the primary verification acceptablethreshold value n, the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Bdetermines whether the rate of the primary verification is equal to ormore than the secondary verification shift threshold value s (s<n) ornot, and further determines on the basis of a result of thedetermination necessity for shift to secondary verification, that is,determines whether the procedure proceeds to secondary verification ornot.

[0211] The pattern data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit) 25Bcorresponds to the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The pattern data extracting unit 25Brecognizes pattern data of a fingerprint as data to be authenticatedfrom fingerprint image data of a person (user) to be authenticated andextracts the same. The fingerprint image data is obtained by theinformation inputting unit 20A.

[0212] The pattern data verifying unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Bcorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. Thepattern data verifying unit 26B compares and matches pattern dataextracted by the pattern data extracting unit 25B with pattern data(registry data for secondary verification) of the person to beauthenticated. The pattern data of the person is registered beforehandin the data storage unit 6B.

[0213] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27B corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23B describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27B functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines on the basis of results ofverification by the biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22Aand the pattern data verifying unit 26B whether a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) or not.The final personal determining unit 27B determines and authenticatesthat the person to be authenticated is the person himself/herself whenthe verification determining unit 23B determines that a rate of matchingin primary verification is equal to or more than the threshold value n,or that pattern data of all fingers coincide with registry data forsecondary verification.

[0214] Next, a procedure for authentication by the authenticatingapparatus 3B in the above structure will be described with reference toa flowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S41 to S47) shown in FIG. 10.

[0215] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the secondary verification shift determiningprocess (step S24) performed in the authenticating process shown in FIG.7, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted. In theauthenticating apparatus 3B, the secondary verification shift settingunit 28 and the personal information setting unit 29 are omitted, thusthe process of determining secondary verification shift corresponding tostep S25 in FIG. 7 is omitted.

[0216] When the verification determining unit 23B determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27B determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) in theprimary verification is obtained in the primary verification (step S46),and the process is terminated.

[0217] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Bdetermines that the rate of matching in primary verification is equal toor more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s (YESroute at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to prompt theperson to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationthrough the information inputting unit 20A.

[0218] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated successivelyinputs fingerprint image data of k fingers as information for secondaryverification from the information inputting unit 20A. The authenticatingapparatus 3B extracts pattern data of the fingerprint from the imagedata of each of the fingerprints as data for secondary verification, andcarries out secondary verification (relief verification) (steps S41 toS45).

[0219] Namely, a variable i whose initial value is 1 is beforehanddefined in the authenticating apparatus 3B. First, it is determinedwhether the variable i is larger than the number of times reliefverification data k is inputted (step S41). When the variable i is equalto or less than k (NO route at step S41), fingerprint image data of thei-th finger is inputted. The pattern data extracting unit 25B recognizespattern data of the i-th finger from the fingerprint image data obtainedby the information inputting unit 20A, and extracts the same (step S42).

[0220] The pattern data verifying unit 26B compares and matches thepattern data extracted by the pattern data extracting unit 25B withpattern data of the i-th finger of the person to be authenticated (stepS43). The pattern data of the person registered beforehand in the datastorage unit 6B. The verification determining unit 23B then determineswhether the two sorts of pattern data coincide with each other or not(step S44).

[0221] When the verification determining unit 23B determines that a rateof matching in the secondary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value m (YES route at step S44), the variable i is incrementedby only one (step S45), and the procedure goes back to step S41. Untilthe pattern data verification of the k-th finger is completed, theprocess at steps S41 to S45 is repetitively carried out.

[0222] When two sorts of pattern data of each of all k fingers coincidewith each other (YES route at step S41), the final personal determiningunit 27B determines and authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself or registered person (stepS47), and the process is terminated.

[0223] On the other hand, when the verification determining unit 23Bdetermines that the two sorts of pattern data of a certain finger do notcoincide while verification of the two sorts of pattern data of therespective plural fingers is successively carried out (NO route at stepS44), that is, when any one finger whose two sorts of pattern data donot coincide appears, the final personal determining unit 27B determinesnot to authenticate at that time (step S47), and the process isterminated.

[0224] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Bdetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification is lessthan the secondary verification shift threshold value s (NO route atstep S24), the final personal determining unit 27B determines not toauthenticate, as well (step S47), and the process is terminated.

[0225] When the authenticating apparatus 3B shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, the person to be authenticated inputsfingerprint biometrics information (pattern data of fingerprints, here)the number of times relief information is inputted k defined beforehand,which can be arbitrarily changed, and the authenticating apparatus 3matches the information with pattern data of each finger set in advance.When all the patterns coincide, the authenticating apparatus 3Bauthenticates the person, and terminates a series of the authenticatingprocess.

[0226] In FIG. 10, pattern data is matched each time fingerprintinformation for secondary verification is inputted, and determination of“not authenticate” is made when a finger whose patterns do not coincideappears during the verification. However, it is alternatively possible,on the assumption that a pattern cannot be recognized due to injury orthe like, that the final personal determining unit 27B collectivelydetermines, and authenticates the person when two sorts of pattern dataof, for example, each of nine fingers out of ten fingers coincide.

[0227] According to the authenticating apparatus 3B, and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3B, it ispossible to input data of a user necessary in primary verification andsecondary verification from one information inputting unit 10 or 20A byusing pattern data extracted from fingerprint image data of the samefinger as or a different finger from a finger used in the primaryverification as registry data for secondary verification. It istherefore possible to carry out both primary verification and secondaryverification (relief verification) without adding any new apparatus.

[0228]FIGS. 12 and 13 depict a third example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 12 isa block diagram showing a structure of an authenticating apparatus 3C.FIG. 13 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure for authenticationby the authenticating apparatus 3C. Incidentally, the same referencecharacters in FIG. 12 designate like or corresponding parts, detaileddescriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0229] The authenticating apparatus 3C shown in FIG. 12 accomplishessuch a measure for relief that, when personal authentication using afingerprint results in failure (when primary verification is failed) inthe personal authentication system 1, the person to be authenticatedtaps a sensor (fingerprint input screen/image input screen of theinformation inputting unit 20A) to input time series data asnon-biometrics characteristic data, and the person is authenticated whenthe time series data coincides with registry data for secondaryverification registered beforehand.

[0230] When the authenticating apparatus 3C is employed, a person to beregistered taps with his/her finger an image input screen of theinformation inputting unit 10 according to a unique pattern determinedbeforehand to input time series information (Morse code or the like) inthe registering apparatus 2 of the personal authentication system 1, asdescribed before. The extracting unit 14 extracts the time series datain a predetermined pattern as non-biometrics characteristic data fromimage data obtained in time series at that time, and stores the timeseries data as registry data for secondary verification in the datastorage unit for secondary verification 6C. Incidentally, procedures forregistering data in the data storage unit for primary verification 5Aand the data storage unit for secondary verification 6C by theregistering apparatus 2 are as have been described above with referenceto FIG. 3.

[0231] The authenticating apparatus 3C comprises, as shown in FIG. 6, averification determining unit 23C, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24C, a signal data extracting unit 25C, a signal dataverifying unit 26C, and a final personal determining unit 26C along withthe information inputting unit 20A, the biometrics characteristic dataextracting unit 21A, and the biometrics characteristic data verifyingunit 22A described above.

[0232] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Cfulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23C determineswhether a rate of matching is equal to or more than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n or not. The verificationdetermining unit 23C also determines coincidence of two sorts of timeseries data (signal data) on the basis of a result of secondaryverification from the signal data verifying unit 26C to be describedlater.

[0233] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24C correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the verification determining unit 23C determines that the rate ofmatching in the primary verification is less than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24C determines whether the rate of matching inthe primary verification is equal to or more than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (s<n) or not, and furtherdetermines necessity for secondary verification, that is, whether theprocedure proceeds to the secondary verification or not, on the basis ofa result of the determination.

[0234] The signal data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit) 25Ccorresponds to the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The signal data extracting unit 25Crecognizes time series data (signal data such as Morse code or the like)as authenticating object data from the time series information (imagedata obtained in time series) that is inputted by a person (user) to beauthenticated by tapping with his/her finger an image input screen ofthe information inputting unit 20A according to a unique patterndetermined beforehand, and extracts the same.

[0235] The signal data verifying unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Ccorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. Thesignal data verifying unit 26C compares and matches signal dataextracted by the signal data extracting unit 25C with signal data(registry data for secondary verification) of the person to beauthenticated. The signal data of the person is registered beforehand inthe data storage unit 6C.

[0236] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27C corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23C shown inFIG. 4, the final personal determining unit 27C functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines whether the person to be authenticatedis the person himself/herself (registered person) or not on the basis ofresults of verification by the biometrics characteristic data verifyingunit 22A and the signal data verifying unit 26C. When the verificationdetermining unit 23C determines that a rate of matching in primaryverification is equal to or more than the threshold value n, ordetermines that signal data obtained from the person to be authenticatedcoincides with registry data for secondary verification, the finalpersonal determining unit 27C determines and authenticates that theperson to be authenticated is the person himself/herself (registeredperson).

[0237] A procedure for authentication by the authenticating apparatus 3Cin the above structure will be next described with reference to aflowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S51 to S55) shown in FIG. 13.

[0238] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification (step S24) performed in the authenticating procedure shownin FIG. 7, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted. In theauthenticating apparatus 3C, the secondary verification shift settingunit 28 and the personal information setting unit 29 are omitted.Therefore, a process of determining to shift to secondary verificationcorresponding to step S25 in FIG. 7 is omitted.

[0239] When the verification determining unit 23C determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27C determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself is obtained in primaryverification (step S54), and the process is terminated.

[0240] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Cdetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationfrom the information inputting unit 20A.

[0241] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated taps withhis/her finger an image input screen of the information inputting unit20A according to a unique pattern determined beforehand to input timeseries information. In the authenticating apparatus 3C, the signal dataextracting unit 25C extracts time series data (signal data such as Morsecode or the like) as data for secondary verification (non-biometricscharacteristic data) from image data obtained in time series in theinputting operation by the person to be authenticated (step S51).

[0242] The signal data verifying unit 26C compares and matches signaldata extracted by the signal data extracting unit 25C with signal dataof the person to be authenticated (step S52). The signal data of theperson is registered beforehand in the data storage unit 6C. Theverification determining unit 23C determines whether the two sorts ofsignal data coincide with each other or not (step S53).

[0243] When the verification determining unit 23C determines that thetwo sorts of signal data coincide with each other (YES route at stepS53), the final personal determining unit 27C determines andauthenticates that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself or registered person (step S54), and the process isterminated.

[0244] When the verification determining unit 23C determines that thetwo sorts of signal data do not coincide with each other (NO route atstep S54), the final personal determining unit 27C determines not toauthenticate (step S55) and the process is terminated. When thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24 c determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (NO route at step S24), the finalpersonal determining unit 27C determines not to authenticate as well(step S55), and the process is terminated.

[0245] When the authenticating apparatus 3C shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, the person to be authenticated inputs timeseries information as signals by tapping via the same informationinputting unit 20A as that used when biometrics information for primaryverification has been inputted. As the signals, signal information thatthe system can originally analyze may be used. Alternatively, anexisting signal analysis routine by Morse signals or the like may beemployed. The inputted signals are compared and matched with signalinformation registered beforehand, the person is authenticated when thetwo sorts of data coincide, and the process is terminated.

[0246] According to the authenticating apparatus 3C and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3C, the userintentionally inputs time series information of an image using theinformation inputting unit 10 or 20 a in secondary verification, andtime series data extracted from the time series information is used asregistry data for secondary verification. Accordingly, it is possible toinput data of a user necessary in primary verification and secondaryverification from one information inputting unit 10 or 20A.

[0247] Namely, the information inputting unit 10 or 20A may be used as adevice for inputting biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification and a device for input non-biometrics characteristic data(data having an intentional time series pattern).

[0248] Therefore, it is possible to input data of a user necessary inprimary verification and secondary verification from one informationinputting unit 10 or 20A, thus to carry out both primary verificationand secondary verification (relief verification) without newly addingany apparatus.

[0249]FIGS. 14 and 15 depict a fourth example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 14 isa block diagram showing a structure of the authenticating apparatus 3D.FIG. 15 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure for authenticationby the authenticating apparatus 3D. Incidentally, the same referencecharacters as those having described above designate like orcorresponding parts, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0250] The authenticating apparatus 3D shown in FIG. 14 accomplishes arelief authentication using information intentionally inputted by aperson to be authenticated with his/her body (here, a finger) from afingerprint input screen/image input screen of the information inputtingunit 20A when personal authentication with a fingerprint results infailure (when primary verification is failed) in the personalauthentication system 1.

[0251] At this time, the information inputted from the informationinputting unit 20A is not used for carrying out biometrics verification,but is non-biometrics information inputted to determine a personalidentification according to a state of inputting. A type of theinformation is not limited so long as it is information whose inputstate can be extracted and discriminated. Here, the information is aninput angle of a finger to a reference direction of a finger on theimage input screen of the information inputting unit 20, for example.

[0252] When the authenticating apparatus 3D is employed, the person tobe registered touches with his/her finger the image input screen andarranges the finger at a predetermined unique input angle on the imageinput screen of the information inputting unit 10 in the registeringapparatus 2 of the personal authentication system 1, as stated above.The extracting unit 14 extracts the input angle to the referencedirection as non-biometrics characteristic data from image data obtainedin such state, and stores the input angle as registry data for secondaryverification in the data storage unit for secondary verification 6D.Incidentally, the procedure for registering data in the data storageunit for primary verification 5A and the data storage unit for secondaryunit by the registering apparatus 2 are as have been described abovewith reference to FIG. 3.

[0253] The authenticating apparatus 3D comprises, as shown in FIG. 14, averification determining unit 23D, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24D, an angle data extracting unit 25D, an angle dataverifying unit 26D, and a final personal determining unit 27D along withthe information inputting unit 20A, the biometrics characteristic dataextracting unit 21A, and the biometrics characteristic data verifyingunit 22A.

[0254] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Dfulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23D determineswhether a rate of matching in the primary verification is equal to ormore than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n or not.The verification determining unit 23D also determines coincidence ofinput angles (angle data) on the basis of a result of secondaryverification from the angle data verifying unit 26D to be describedlater.

[0255] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24D correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the verification determining unit 23D determines that the rate ofmatching in the primary verification is less than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24D determines whether the rate of matching inthe primary verification is equal to or more than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (s<n) or not, and furtherdetermines necessity for secondary verification, that is, whether theprocedure proceeds to secondary verification or not, on the basis of aresult of the determination.

[0256] The angle data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit) 25Dcorresponds to the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The angle data extracting unit 25Drecognizes an input angle to the reference direction as data forsecondary verification from image data of a finger of a person to beauthenticated, the image data being obtained by touching with his/herfinger the image input screen and arranging the finger at apredetermined unique input angle on the image input screen of theinformation inputting unit 20A, and extracts the same.

[0257] The angle data verifying unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Dcorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. Theangle data verifying unit 26D compares and matches angle data extractedby the angle data extracting unit 25D with angle data (registry data forsecondary verification) of the person to be authenticated. The angledata of the person is registered beforehand in the data storage unit 6D.

[0258] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27D corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23D describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27D functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines on the basis of results ofdetermination by the biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22Aand the angle data verifying unit 26D whether the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself or not. When theverification determining unit 23D determines that the rate of matchingin the primary verification is equal to or more than the threshold valuen, or that angle data obtained from the person to be authenticatedcoincides with registry data for secondary verification, the finalpersonal determining unit 27D determines and authenticates that theperson to be authenticated is the person himself/herself.

[0259] Next, a procedure for authentication by the authenticatingapparatus 3D in the above structure will be described with reference toa flowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S61 to S65) shown in FIG. 15.

[0260] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification performed in the authenticating procedure in FIG. 7,detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted. In the authenticatingapparatus 3D, the secondary verification shift setting unit 28 and thepersonal information setting unit 29 are omitted, the process ofdetermining to shift to secondary verification corresponding to step S25in FIG. 7 is thus omitted.

[0261] When the verification determining unit 23D determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27D determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself is obtained in primaryverification (step S64), and the process is terminated.

[0262] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Ddetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationthrough the information inputting unit 20A.

[0263] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated touches withhis/her finger the image input screen and arranges the finger at apredetermined unique input angle on the image input screen of theinformation inputting unit 20A. In the authenticating apparatus 3A, theangle data extracting unit 25D extracts the input angle to the referencedirection as data for secondary verification (non-biometricscharacteristic data) from image data obtained in a state where theperson to be authenticated touches with his/her finger and arranges thefinger as above (step S61).

[0264] The angle data verifying unit 26D compares and matches angle dataextracted by the angle data extracting unit 25D with angle data of theperson to be authenticated (step S62). The angle data of the person isregistered beforehand in the data storage unit 6D. The verificationdetermining unit 23D determines whether the two sorts of angle datacoincide with each other or not (step S63).

[0265] When the verification determining unit 23D determines that thetwo sorts of angle data coincide with each other (YES route at stepS63), the final personal determining unit 27D determines andauthenticates that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself or registered person (step S64), and the process isterminated.

[0266] On the other hand, when the verification determining unit 23Ddetermines that the two sorts of angle data do not coincide with eachother (NO route at step S63), the final personal determining unit 27Ddetermines not to authenticate (step S65), and the process isterminated. When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Ddetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification is lessthan the secondary verification shift threshold value s (NO route atstep S24), the final personal determining unit 27D determines not toauthenticate as well (step S65), and the process is terminated.

[0267] When the authenticating apparatus 3D shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, the person to be authenticated inputsfingerprint information at an angle of impress (input angle)intentionally changed one or plural times from the same informationinputting unit 20A as that has been used to input biometrics informationfor primary verification, as stated above. Angle data is then extractedfrom the inputted information (image data of the fingerprint), andcompared and matched with angle data registered beforehand. When the twosorts of data coincide with each other, the person is authenticated, anda series of the authenticating process is terminated.

[0268] According to the authenticating apparatus 3D and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3D, the userintentionally changes an angle of impress (input angle) and inputsfingerprint to the information inputting unit 10 or 20A in secondaryverification, angle data extracted from image data of the fingerprint isused as registry data for secondary verification. It is thereforepossible to input data of the user necessary in primary verification andsecondary verification from one information inputting unit 10 or 20A.

[0269] The information unit 10 or 20A can be used as a device forinputting biometrics characteristic data for primary verification and adevice for inputting non-biometrics characteristic data (angle dataintentionally changed).

[0270] Accordingly, it is possible to input data of a user necessary inprimary verification and secondary verification from one informationinputting unit 10 or 20A, and thus to carry out both primaryverification and secondary verification (relief verification) withoutnewly adding any apparatus.

[0271] In the above example, secondary verification is performed usingan input angle of a finger as has been described. Namely, the reliefverification is performed using a finger angle on the image input screenof the information inputting unit 20A intentionally inputted by a personto be authenticated when personal authentication using a fingerprint isfailed (in primary verification) in the personal authentication system1. Instead of a finger angle, it is possible to use a position at whichthe finger contacts with the image input screen of the informationinputting unit 20A to perform the relief verification (secondaryverification).

[0272] In which case, the registrant beforehand determines a uniqueposition at which the finger contacts with the image input screen,similarly to the case of input angle. In registering, the registranttouches with his/her finger at a unique position the image input screenof the information inputting unit 10 in the registering apparatus 2. Theinformation inputting unit 10 obtains image data of the finger in suchstate, and the extracting unit 14 extracts a contact position from theimage data and stores the image data as registry data for secondaryverification in the data storage unit 6A.

[0273] In the secondary verification in the authenticating apparatus 3D,the person to be authenticated touches with his/her finger at a uniqueposition the image input screen of the information inputting unit 20D.The information inputting unit 20A obtains image data of the finger insuch state, and the fourth extracting unit (data extracting unit 25D)extracts a contact position of the finger as authenticating object datafrom the image data.

[0274] As this, when a contact position of a finger is used as data forsecondary verification, it is possible to achieve the same functions andeffects as in the case where an input angle of a finger is used as datafor secondary verification.

[0275]FIGS. 16 and 17 depict a fifth example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 16 isa block diagram showing a structure of the authenticating apparatus 3E.FIG. 17 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure for authenticationby the authenticating apparatus 3E. Incidentally, the same referencecharacters in FIG. 16 as those having been described hereinbeforedesignate like or corresponding parts, detailed descriptions of whichare thus omitted.

[0276] The authenticating apparatus 3E shown in FIG. 16 uses contacttrace information (non-biometrics information) intentionally inputted bya person to be authenticated via the fingerprint input screen/imageinput screen of the information inputting unit 20A when personalauthentication using a fingerprint results in failure (when primaryverification is failed) in the personal authentication system 1, therebyaccomplishing a relief authentication.

[0277] A type of the contact trace information is not specificallylimited. Here, the contact trace information is a signature drawn on theimage input screen with, for example, a felt-tipped pen, and the reliefauthentication (secondary verification) is carried out by analyzing thehandwriting.

[0278] When the authenticating apparatus 3E is employed, the person tobe registered draws a predetermined unique pattern (signature) on theimage input screen of the information inputting unit 10 with his/herfinger or a pen-like device (felt-tipped pen or the like) while makingit contact with the image input screen in the registering apparatus 2 ofthe personal authentication system 1, as stated above. The extractingunit 14 extracts contact trace information as non-biometricscharacteristic data from image data obtained at that time, and storesthe contact trace information as registry data for secondaryverification in the data storage unit for secondary verification 6E.Incidentally, procedures for registering data in the data storage unitfor primary verification 5A and the data storage unit for secondaryverification 6E by the registering apparatus 2 are as have beendescribed above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0279] The authenticating apparatus 3E comprises, as shown in FIG. 16, averification determining unit 23E, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24E, a handwritten data extracting unit 25E, ahandwriting analysis unit 26E, and a final personal determining unit27E, along with the information inputting unit 20A, the biometricscharacteristic data extracting unit 21A, and the biometricscharacteristic data verifying unit 22A.

[0280] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Efulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23E determineswhether a rate of matching in the primary verification is equal to ormore than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n or not.The verification determining unit 23E also determines coincidence of twopieces of contact trace information (handwritten data) on the basis of aresult of analysis from the handwriting analysis unit 26E to bedescribed later.

[0281] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24E correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the verification determining unit 23E determines that the rate ofmatching in the primary verification is less than the secondaryverification shift threshold value n, the secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24E determines whether the rate of matching in theprimary verification is equal to or more than the secondary verificationshift threshold value s (s<n) or not, and further determines secondaryverification is necessary, that is, whether the procedure proceeds tosecondary verification or not, on the basis of a result of thedetermination.

[0282] The handwritten data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit) 25Ecorresponds to the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The handwritten data extracting unit25E recognizes contact trace information (handwritten data) from imagedata obtained when the person to be authenticated draws a predeterminedunique pattern (signature) on the image input screen of the informationinputting unit 20A, and extracts the same.

[0283] The handwriting analysis unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Ecorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. Thehandwriting analysis unit 26E compares and matches the contact traceinformation (handwritten data) extracted by the handwritten dataextracting unit 25E with contact trace information (registry data forsecondary verification) of the person to be authenticated, the contacttrace information of the person being registered beforehand in the datastorage unit 6E, and analyzes the handwriting.

[0284] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27E corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23E describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27E functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines whether the person to be authenticatedis the person himself/herself or not on the basis of results ofverification and analysis by the biometrics characteristic dataverifying unit 22A and the handwriting analysis unit 26E. When theverification determining unit 23E determines that a rate of matching inprimary verification is equal to or more than the threshold value n, orthat the pattern (signature) drawn by the person to be authenticatedcoincides with registry data for secondary verification, the finalpersonal determining unit 27E determines and authenticates that theperson to be authenticated is the person himself/herself.

[0285] A procedure for authentication by the authenticating apparatus 3Ein the above structure will be next described with reference to aflowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S71 to S75) shown in FIG. 17.

[0286] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification (step S24) performed in the authenticating procedure shownin FIG. 7, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.Additionally, the secondary verification shift setting unit 28 and thepersonal information setting unit 29 are omitted in the authenticatingapparatus 3E, the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification corresponding to step S25 in FIG. 7 is thus omitted.

[0287] When the verification determining unit 23E determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27E determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) since arate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself is obtained in the primaryverification (step S74), and the process is terminated.

[0288] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Edetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationthrough the information inputting unit 20A.

[0289] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated draws apredetermined unique pattern (signature) on the image input screen ofthe information inputting unit 20A with his/her finger or a pen-likedevice (felt-tipped pen or the like) while making it contact with theimage input screen. In the authenticating apparatus 3E, the handwrittendata extracting unit 25E extracts contact trace information (handwrittendata) as non-biometrics characteristic data from image data obtainedwhen the person to be authenticated draws the pattern (step S71).

[0290] The handwriting analysis unit 26E compares and matches thehandwritten data extracted by the handwritten data extracting unit 25Ewith handwritten data of the person to be authenticated, the handwrittendata of the person being registered beforehand in the data storage unit6E (step S72). The verification determining unit 23E determines whethertwo sorts of the handwritten data coincide with each other or not (stepS73).

[0291] When the verification determining unit 23E determines that thetwo sorts of handwritten data coincide with each other (YES route atstep S73), the final personal determining unit 27E determines andauthenticates that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself (step S74), and the process is terminated.

[0292] When the verification determining unit 23E determines that thetwo sorts of handwritten data do not coincide with each other (NO routeat step S73), the final personal determining unit 27E determines not toauthenticate (Step S75), and the process is terminated. When thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24E determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (NO route at step S24), the finalpersonal determining unit 27E determines as well not to authenticate(step S75), and the process is terminated.

[0293] When the authenticating apparatus 3E shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, the person to be authenticated intentionallydraws and inputs his/her signature from the same information inputtingunit 20A as that having been used when biometrics information forprimary verification is inputted. Handwritten data is extracted fromimage data obtained when the signature is drawn, and compared andmatched with handwritten data registered beforehand. When the two sortsof handwritten data coincide with each other, the person to beauthenticated is authenticated as the person himself/herself (registeredperson). At this time, a technique of determining whether to matchhandwritings by simply comparing the handwritings, may be used, but ageneral handwriting analyzing technique in which pressures ofhandwritings are compared may be alternatively used to further improvethe security.

[0294] According to the authenticating apparatus 3E and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3E, the userintentionally inputs a pattern such as a signature using the informationinputting unit 10 or 20A, and handwritten data (contact traceinformation) is used as registry data for secondary verification. It istherefore possible to input data of the user necessary in primaryverification and secondary verification from one information inputtingunit 10 or 20A.

[0295] Namely, the information unit 10 or 20A may be used as a devicefor inputting biometrics characteristic data for primary verificationand a device for inputting a signature.

[0296] Accordingly, it is possible to input data of the user necessaryin primary verification and secondary verification from one informationinputting unit 10 or 20A without adding any new apparatus for inputtinga signature, thereby carrying out both primary verification andsecondary verification (relief verification).

[0297]FIGS. 18 and 19 depict a sixth example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus 3F according to this embodiment. FIG. 18is a block diagram showing a structure of the authenticating apparatus3F. FIG. 19 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure forauthentication by the authenticating apparatus 3F. Incidentally, thesame reference characters in FIG. 18 as those described hereinbeforedesignate like or corresponding parts, detailed descriptions of whichare thus omitted.

[0298] The authenticating apparatus 3F shown in FIG. 18 uses contactpattern information (non-biometrics information) intentionally inputtedfrom the fingerprint input screen/image input screen of the informationinputting unit 20A by a person to be authenticated when personalauthentication using a fingerprint results in failure (when primaryverification is failed) in the personal authentication system 1, therebyaccomplishing a relief authentication. A type of contact pattern to beinputted to the image input screen is not specifically defined. Here, animpression image of a seal is inputted as contact pattern information,and the image obtained by impressing the seal is matched and determined,thereby carrying out the relief authentication (secondary verification).

[0299] When the authenticating apparatus 3E is employed, a person to beregistered makes a seal possessed by the person or user contact with theimage input screen of the information inputting unit 10 in theregistering apparatus 2 of the personal authentication system 1 to forman image of the seal as a contact pattern on the image input screen, asstated above. The extracting unit 14 extracts a contact pattern asnon-biometrics characteristic data from the image data obtained in suchstate, and stores the contact pattern as registry pattern for secondaryverification in the data storage unit for secondary verification 6F.Incidentally, procedures for registering data in the data storage unitfor primary verification 5A and the data storage unit for secondaryverification 6F by the registering apparatus 2 are as have beendescribed above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0300] The authenticating apparatus 3F comprises, as shown in FIG. 18, averification determining unit 23F, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24F, a seal data extracting unit 25F, a seal dataverifying unit 26F, and a final personal determining unit 27F, alongwith the information inputting unit 20A, the biometrics characteristicdata extracting unit 21A, and the biometrics characteristic dataverifying unit 22A.

[0301] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Ffulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23F determineswhether a rate of matching in the primary verification is equal to ormore than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n or not.The verification determining unit 23F also determines coincidence ofcontact patterns (seal data) on the basis of a result of secondaryverification from the seal data verifying unit 26F to be describedlater.

[0302] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24F correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the determining unit 23F determines that the rate of matching inthe primary verification is less than the primary verificationacceptable threshold value n, the secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24F determines whether the rate of matching in theprimary verification is equal to or more than the secondary verificationshift threshold value s (s<n) or not, and further determines necessityfor secondary verification, that is, whether the procedure proceeds tosecondary verification or not, on the basis of a result of thedetermination.

[0303] The seal data extracting unit (fourth extracting unit) 25Fcorresponds to the characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The seal data extracting unit 25Frecognizes a contact pattern (impression image of a seal, seal data) asdata for secondary verification from image data obtained when a person(user) to be authenticated forms an original contact pattern by a sealpossessed by the person (user) to be authenticated on the image inputscreen of the information inputting unit 20A, and extracts the same.

[0304] The seal data verifying unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Fcorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. The sealdata verifying unit 26F compares and matches a contact pattern extractedby the seal data extracting unit 25F with a contact pattern (registrydata for secondary verification) of the person to be authenticated. Thecontact pattern of the person is registered beforehand in the datastorage unit 6F.

[0305] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27F corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23F describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27F functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines whether a person to be authenticatedis the person himself/herself or not on the basis of results ofverification by the biometrics characteristic data verifying unit 22Aand the seal data verifying unit 26F. When the verification determiningunit 23F determines that a rate of matching in primary verification isequal to or more than the threshold value n, or that a contact pattern(seal data) inputted by the person to be authenticated coincides withregistry data for secondary verification, the final personal verifyingunit 27F determines and authenticates that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself.

[0306] Next, a procedure for authentication by the authenticatingapparatus 3F in the above structure will be described with reference toa flowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S81 to S85) shown in FIG. 19.

[0307] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification (step S24) performed in the authenticating procedure shownin FIG. 7, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted. Since thesecondary verification shift setting unit 28 and the personalinformation setting unit 29 are omitted in the authenticating apparatus3F, a procedure of determining to shift to secondary verificationcorresponding to step S25 in FIG. 7 is omitted.

[0308] When the verification determining unit 23F determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at Step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27F determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself (registered person) sincethe rate of matching sufficient to determine that the person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself is obtained in the primaryverification (step S84), and the process is terminated.

[0309] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Fdetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationthrough the information inputting unit 20A.

[0310] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated forms anoriginal contact pattern (impression image) with a seal possessed by theperson to be authenticated on the image input screen of the informationinput screen 20A. In the authenticating apparatus 3F, the seal dataextracting unit 25F extracts the contact pattern (seal data) asauthenticating object data (non-biometrics characteristic data) fromimage data obtained by forming the contact pattern (step S81).

[0311] The seal data verifying unit 26F compares and matches the sealdata extracted by the seal data extracting unit 25F with seal data ofthe person to be authenticated, the seal data of the person beingregistered beforehand in the data storage unit 6F (step S82). Theverification determining unit 23F determines whether the two sorts ofseal data coincide with each other or not (step S83).

[0312] When the verification determining unit 23F determines that thetwo sorts of seal data coincide with each other (YES route at step S83),the final personal determining unit 27F determines and authenticatesthat the person to be authenticated is the person himself/herself orregistered person (step S84), and the process is terminated.

[0313] When the verification determining unit 23F determines that thetwo sorts of seal data do not coincide with each other (NO route at stepS83), the final personal determining unit 27F determines not toauthenticate (step S85), and the process is terminated. When thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24F determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (NO route at step S24), the finalpersonal determining unit 27F determines not to authenticate as well(step S85), and the process is terminated.

[0314] When the authenticating apparatus 3F shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, a person to be authenticated intentionallyinputs an impression image of a seal via the same information inputtingunit 20A as that used when biometrics information for primaryverification is inputted. At this time, the impression image of the sealis obtained as image data by the information inputting unit 20A, andseal data is extracted from the image data. The seal data is comparedwith seal data registered beforehand. When the two sorts of seal datacoincide with each other, the person to be authenticated isauthenticated as the person himself/herself (registered person), and aseries of the authenticating process is terminated.

[0315] According to the authenticating apparatus 3F and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3F, the userinputs an original contact pattern using a seal or the like from theinformation inputting unit 10 or 20A in secondary verification, and thecontact pattern (seal data) is used as registry data for secondaryverification, whereby data of the user necessary in primary verificationand secondary verification is inputted from one information inputtingunit 10 or 20A.

[0316] Namely, the information inputting unit 10 or 20A can be used as adevice for inputting biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification and a device for inputting seal data as non-biometricscharacteristic data.

[0317] It is therefore possible to input data of a user necessary inprimary verification and secondary verification from one informationinputting unit 10 or 20A, thus carry out both the primary verificationand secondary verification (relief verification) without adding any newapparatus for inputting seal data.

[0318] In the above-described example, a normal seal is used to form acontact pattern on the image input screen of the information inputtingunit 10 or 20A. Alternatively, an electronic seal (pattern informationinput medium) 30 or 30A as shown in, for example, 20 to 24 may be used.

[0319] The electronic seal 30 or 30A is possessed and carried by a user(registered person, a person to be authenticated), and is mounted on theinformation inputting unit 10 or 20A at the time of registry orsecondary verification. When registry data for secondary verification isregistered in the data storage unit 6F using the electronic seal 30 or30A, the same electronic seal 30 or 30A is actually used in secondaryverification, as a matter of course.

[0320] The electronic seal 30 is adapted to a case where the informationinputting unit 10 or 20A is an optical fingerprint unit, a structure andan operation of which will be described later with reference to FIGS. 20to 22. The electronic seal 30A is adapted to a case where the biometricsinformation inputting unit for registration (first biometricsinformation inputting unit) or the biometrics information inputting unitfor authentication (second biometrics information inputting unit) is acapacitance fingerprint unit 20A′, a structure and an operation of whichwill be described later with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24.

[0321]FIG. 20 is a vertical sectional view showing a structure of theelectronic seal 30. FIGS. 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B illustrate an operationof the electronic seal 30. FIGS. 21A and 22A are vertical sectionalviews illustrating operational states of the electronic seal 30. FIGS.21B and 22B are plan views showing examples of contact patterns on thefingerprint input screen 20 b.

[0322] As shown in FIG. 20, a grip 31 a that is gripped by a user issuch formed on an upper surface of a body 31 of the electronic seal 30as to project therefrom. A frame 31 b in the same shape (here, arectangle) as the fingerprint input screen 20 b is such formed on thelower surface of the body 31 of the electronic seal 30 as to projectfrom the lower surface thereof. The frame 31 b is such formed that ashape of an inner periphery of the frame 31 b matches with a shape of anouter periphery of the fingerprint input screen 20 b in a state wherethe electronic seal 30 is mounted on the information inputting unit 20A(10) as shown in FIG. 21A or 22A.

[0323] Inside the frame 31 b, a plurality (here, 4×4=16) of pins 32 areprovided projectably from and retractably into the body 31. These pins32 are slidably driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) built in thebody 31, so as to be projectably and retractably driven with respect tothe body 31.

[0324] A rubber film (contact part) 33 is attached to a surface of a tipof each of the pins 32. When each of the pin 32 is driven to project ina state where the electronic seal 30 is mounted on the informationinputting unit 20A (10) as shown in FIG. 21A or 22A, the rubber film 33touches the fingerprint input screen 20 b of the information inputtingunit 20A (10) and contacts therewith to form a contact pattern unique tothe possessor.

[0325] By using such the electronic seal 30 instead of a seal or afingerprint as described above, it is possible to input data forsecondary verification from the fingerprint input screen 20 b of theinformation inputting unit 20A (10). Namely, instead of a fingerprint,the pin 32 is driven to project. When the rubber film 33 on the tip ofthe pin 32 contacts with the fingerprint input screen 20 b, a pattern ofthe contacting portion is captured as image data by the registeringapparatus 2 or the authenticating apparatus 3F.

[0326] Accordingly, it is possible to set a unique contact pattern (sealdata) of each user by making pins 32 at arbitrary positions out of the16 pins 32 contact with the fingerprint input screen 20 b, as shown inFIG. 21B or 22B.

[0327] When the electronic seal 30 is not used (that is, when theelectronic seal 30 is not mounted on the fingerprint input screen 20 b),all the pins are stored inside the body 31. Only when the electronicseal 30 is used (that is, when the electronic seal 30 is mounted on thefingerprint input screen 20 b), predetermined pins 32 corresponding to acontact pattern are driven to project from the body 31.

[0328] At this time, it is possible to change a contact pattern on thefingerprint input screen 20 b formed by a plurality of pins 32 in timeseries, and use the contact pattern changing in time series as data forsecondary verification (seal data).

[0329] In the examples shown in FIGS. 21B and 22B, a shape of thecontact pattern formed on the fingerprint input screen 20 b by therubber film 33 on the tip of each of the pins 32 is a circle. However,the shape is not limited to the above examples, but other shape maybeused to form a contact pattern. The rubber film 33 attached to the tipof each of the pins 32 can bring a good contact with the fingerprintinput screen 20 b. If the pins 32 are made of a material that can bringa good contact with the fingerprint input screen 20 b, it is unnecessaryto attach the rubber film 33.

[0330]FIG. 23 is a vertical sectional view showing a structure of theelectronic seal 30A. FIGS. 24A and 24B depict an operation of theelectronic seal 30A. FIG. 24A is a vertical sectional view showing anoperational state of the electronic seal 30A. FIG. 24B is a plan viewshowing an example of a contact pattern on the fingerprint input screen20 b.

[0331] As shown in FIG. 23, a conductive metal ring 20 c connected tothe ground is arranged on the outer periphery of the fingerprint inputscreen 20 b in the capacitance fingerprint unit (information inputtingunit) 20A′.

[0332] A grip 34 a to be gripped by a user is such formed on a body madeof conductor 34 of the electronic seal 30A as to project therefrom. Aframe 34 b in the same shape (rectangle, here) as the fingerprint inputscreen 20 b is such formed on the lower surface of the body made ofconductor 34 of the electronic seal 30A as to project therefrom. A shapeof an inner periphery of the frame 34 b matches with a shape of an outerperiphery of the fingerprint input screen 20 b, and the lower surface ofthe frame 34 b contacts with the conductive metal ring 20 c, with theelectronic seal 30A being mounted on the information inputting unit20A′, as shown in FIG. 24A.

[0333] A plurality (here, 12=3×4) of conductive pins 35 are providedprojectably from and rectractably into the body made of conductor 34inside the frame 34 b. An insulator 37 is disposed between each of theconductive pins 35 and the body made of conductor 34. Each of theconductive pins 35 and the body made of conductor 34 are switched to beelectrically connected or insulated according to an ON/OFF operation ofeach of switches 38. The ON/OFF operation of each of the switches iscontrolled by a control circuit or the like not shown. The conductivepins 35 are together slidably operated by a drive mechanism (not shown)built in the body made of conductor 34, so as to be together driven toproject from and retract into the body made of conductor 34.

[0334] A conductive polymer film (contact unit) 36 is attached to asurface of a tip of each of the conductive pins 35. As shown in FIG.24A, the conductive pins 35 are driven to project, with the electronicseal 30A being mounted on the information inputting unit 20A′. When theswitch 38 is then turned ON to electrically connect the body made ofconductor 34 to the conductive pins 35, with the conductive polymer file36 touching and contacting with the fingerprint input screen 20 b of theinformation inputting unit 20A′, a contact pattern of the conductivepins 35 (conductive polymer film 36) is formed on the fingerprint inputscreen 20B as shown in FIG. 24B.

[0335] By using such the electronic seal 30A instead of a seal orfingerprint as described above, it is possible to input data forsecondary verification from the fingerprint input screen 20B of theinformation inputting unit 20A′ (10). At this time, it is possible toset a unique contact pattern (seal data) for each user by electricallyconnecting the conductive pins 35 at arbitrary positions out of the 12conductive pins 35 to the body made of conductor 34 by the switches 38,as shown in FIG. 24B. The contact pattern is captured as image data inthe registering apparatus 2 or the authenticating apparatus 3F.

[0336] When the electronic seal 30A is not used (that is, when theelectronic seal 30 a is not mounted on the fingerprint input screen 20b), the conductive pins 35 are all stored inside the body made ofconductor 34. Only when the electronic seal 30A is used (that is, whenthe electronic seal 30A is mounted on the fingerprint input screen 20b), the conductive pins 35 are driven to project from the body made ofconductor 34.

[0337] At this time, it is possible to change in time series a contactpattern on the fingerprint input screen 20B by controlling in timeseries the ON/OFF operation of the plural switches 38, and to use acontact pattern changing in time series as data for secondaryverification (seal data).

[0338] In the example shown in FIG. 24B, a shape of a contact patternformed on the fingerprint input screen 20 b by the conducting polymerfilm 36 on the tip of the conductive pin 35 is a circle. However, theshape is not limited to be above example, but another shape may be usedto form the contact pattern.

[0339] Why the conductive pin 35 does not directly contact with thefingerprint input screen 20 b but the conductive polymer film 36 isinterposed between each of the conductive pins 35 and the fingerprintinput screen 20 b is to avoid electrostatic discharge of the capacitancefingerprint unit 20A′, and to make the conductive pins 35 softly contactwith the fingerprint input screen 20 b. When the conductive pins 35 havethe similar characteristic to the conducting polymer film 36, it isunnecessary to attach the conducting polymer film 36 thereto.

[0340] The electronic seal 30A adapted to the capacitance fingerprintunit 20A′ can be used for the optical fingerprint unit 20A like theelectronic seal 30 described above.

[0341] When the electronic seal 30 or 30A described above is used,procedures for registering data in the data storage unit for primaryverification 5A and the data storage unit for secondary verification 6Fby the registering apparatus 2 are as have been described above withreference to FIG. 3, and a procedure for authentication by theauthenticating apparatus 3F is as has been described above withreference to FIG. 19.

[0342] By using the above electronic seal 30 or 30A, it is possible toreadily change the contact pattern, and surely form a contact patternunique to each user (possessor) on the fingerprint input screen 20 b ofthe information inputting unit 10, 20A or 20A′ at any occasion underconstant conditions. Namely, the electronic seal 30 or 30A fulfils thesimilar function to the general seal in association with the informationinputting unit 10, 20A or 20A′.

[0343] If a contact pattern unique to a possessor is beforehandregistered as registry data for secondary verification, the person to beauthenticated can input data for secondary verification into thepersonal authentication system 1 in secondary verification by mountingthe electronic seal 30 or 30A on the fingerprint input screen 20 b inthe similar manner to when impressing a general seal on a paper.Therefore, the personal authentication system 1 can realize the measurefor relief in personal authentication by using only existing structuralapparatuses in the personal authentication system 1, without causingcomplexity or an increase in cost.

[0344]FIGS. 25 and 26 depict a seventh example of the concrete structureof the authenticating apparatus according to this embodiment. FIG. 25 isa block diagram showing a structure of the authenticating apparatus 3G.FIG. 26 is a flowchart for illustrating a procedure for authenticationby the authenticating apparatus 3G. Incidentally, the same referencecharacters in FIG. 25 as those described hereinbefore designate like orcorresponding parts, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0345] Here, character data corresponding to each of plural differentcontact patterns or each position of plural different contact points onthe image input screen of the information inputting unit 10 or 20A isbeforehand set, and character data corresponding to a contact pattern ora position of a contact point detected as image data by the informationinputting unit 10 or 20A is used as non-biometrics character data.

[0346] For example, the user (person to be registered, registeredperson, person to be authenticated) forms one or more contact patternscorresponding to unique character data or a unique character data stringequivalent to a personal identification number, a password or the like,or forms one or more contact points at one or more positionscorresponding to the character data or the character data string on theimage input screen of the information inputting unit 10 or 20A.

[0347] Hereinafter, description will be made of a case where asimplified keyboard (keyboard unit) 40 as shown in FIGS. 27A to 29B isused to form the contact points at the positions corresponding to thecharacter data or the character data string to input the character datastring unique to the user.

[0348]FIGS. 27A through 28B depict an example of a structure and anoperation of the simplified keyboard 40 used in this embodiment. FIG.27A is a vertical sectional view of the simplified keyboard 40. FIG. 27Bis a plan view of the simplified keyboard 40. FIG. 28A is a verticalsectional view showing an operational state of the simplified keyboard40. FIG. 28B is a plan view showing an example of an input pattern onthe fingerprint input screen 20 b formed by the simplified keyboard 40.

[0349] The simplified keyboard 40 adapted to a case where theinformation inputting unit 10 or 20A is an optical fingerprint unit,which is attachable to and detachable from the information inputtingunit 10 or 20A. As shown in FIGS. 27A and 27B, a frame 41 a in the sameshape as the fingerprint input screen 20 b (here, a rectangle) is suchformed on the lower surface of a body 41 of the simplified keyboard 40as to project therefrom. The frame 41 a is such formed as that a shapeof an inner periphery of the frame 41 a matches with a shape of an outerperiphery of the fingerprint input screen 20 b, with the simplifiedkeyboard 40 being mounted on the information inputting unit 20A (10), asshown in FIG. 28A.

[0350] A plurality (here, 3×3=9) of keys 42 are provided to the body 41,which can slide in the upward and downward directions, with the keys 42penetrating the body 41 inside the frame 41 a. Each of the keys 42 isforced upward by a spring or the like not shown. When the user pressesan upper surface (key top 42 a) of each key 42 downward against a forceof the spring, each key 45 moves downward.

[0351] A rubber film 43 is attached to a surface of a tip (lowersurface) of each of the keys 42. When each of the keys 42 is presseddownward with the simplified keyboard 40 being mounted on theinformation inputting unit 20A (10), the rubber film 43 touches thefingerprint input screen 20 b of the information inputting unit 20A (10)and contacts therewith.

[0352] Numbers from “1” to “9” are subscribed on the respective key tops42 a of the nine keys 42, for example. A correspondence between acontact point formed on the fingerprint input screen 2Db by the keys 42and each of the numbers from “1” to “9” is beforehand held as aconversion table or the like in the extracting unit 14 of theregistering apparatus 2 or a keyboard information extracting unit 25G ofthe authenticating apparatus 3G.

[0353] As shown in FIGS. 28A and 28B, when a key 42 subscribed, forexample, “5” is pressed downward and the rubber film 43 on the surfaceof the tip of the key 42 thus contacts with the fingerprint input screen20 b, a contact point (contact pattern) thereof is read out as imagedata by the information inputting unit 20A (10). The extracting unit 14of the registering apparatus 2 or the keyboard information extractingunit 25G of the authenticating apparatus 3G extracts a position of thecontact point from the image data, thereby being able to recognize andspecify from the conversion table or the like that a number “5”corresponding to the position is inputted.

[0354] By using the simplified keyboard 40, the extracting unit 14, andthe keyboard information extracting unit 25G, it is possible to inputunique character data or a unique character data string equivalent to apersonal identification number, a password, or the like as data forsecondary verification from the fingerprint input screen 20 a of theinformation inputting unit 20A (10). Namely, instead of a fingerprint,pressing down the key 42 of the simplified keyboard 40 enables theinformation inputting unit 20A (10) to function similarly to a keyboard,whereby unique character data of the user is captured in the registeringapparatus 2 or the authenticating apparatus 3G.

[0355] In the example shown in FIG. 28B, a shape of the contact patternformed on the fingerprint input screen by the rubber film 43 at the tipof the key 42 is a circle. However, the shape is not limited to thisexample, but may be another. Why the rubber film 43 is attached to thetip of the key 42 is to give a good contact with the fingerprint inputscreen 20 b. If the keys 42 are made from a material that can give agood contact with the fingerprint input screen 20 b, it is unnecessaryto attach the rubber film 43 thereto.

[0356] Further, the rubber film 43 itself may be in a shape of acharacter pattern. Whereby, not a position of the contact point but acontacting character pattern (contact pattern) may be discriminated bythe extracting unit 14 or the keyboard information extracting unit 25G,and the inputted character data may be directly read out.

[0357] A correspondence between a key arrangement and characters of thekeys 42 is not necessarily uniform in the simplified keyboard 40. It maybe set differently from user to user. Further, it is alternativelypossible to input data using a contact pattern formed by pressing aplurality of the keys 42 in combination, not by pressing only one key 42at a time, when data is inputted from the simplified keyboard 40.

[0358] The authenticating apparatus 3G shown in FIG. 25 accomplishes arelief authentication by using a character data string (non-biometricsinformation) intentionally inputted by a person to be authenticated fromthe fingerprint input screen 20B of the information inputting unit 20Ausing the simplified keyboard 40 described above when personalauthentication using a fingerprint results in failure (when primaryverification is failed) in the personal authentication system 1.

[0359] When the authenticating apparatus 3G is employed, a person to beregistered inputs a unique character data string equivalent to apersonal identification number, a password or the like from the imageinput screen of the information inputting unit 10 using the simplifiedkeyboard 40 in the registering apparatus 2 of the personalauthentication system 1, as stated above. The information inputting unit10 reads a contact point (contact pattern) formed on the image inputscreen in the key operation as image data. The extracting unit 14obtains a position of the contact point from the image data, andconverts the position into corresponding character data. The characterdata string (keyboard pattern data, keyboard information) obtained asabove is stored as registry data for secondary verification in the datastorage unit for secondary verification 6G. Incidentally, procedures forregistering data in the data storage unit for primary verification 5Aand the data storage unit for secondary verification 6G are as have beendescribed above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0360] The authenticating apparatus 3G comprises, as shown in FIG. 25, averification determining unit 23G, a secondary verification shiftdetermining unit 24G, the keyboard information extracting unit 25G, adata verifying unit 26G, and a final personal determining unit 27G alongwith the information inputting unit 20A, the biometrics characteristicdata extracting unit 21A, and the biometrics characteristic dataverifying unit 22A.

[0361] The verification determining unit (personal determining unit) 23Gfulfils the similar function to the verification determining unit 23shown in FIG. 4. When receiving a result of primary verification fromthe verifying unit 22A, the verification determining unit 23G determineswhether a rate of matching in the primary verification is equal to ormore than the primary verification acceptable threshold value n or not.The verification determining unit 23G also determines coincidence ofcontact patterns (seal data) on the basis of a result of secondaryverification from the data verifying unit 26G to be described later.

[0362] The secondary verification shift determining unit 24G correspondsto the secondary verification shift determining unit 24 shown in FIG. 4.When the determination verifying unit 23G determines that the rate ofmatching in the primary verification is less than the primaryverification acceptable threshold value n, the secondary verificationshift determining unit 24G determines whether the rate of matching inthe primary verification is equal to or more than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (s<n)or not, and further determineson the basis of a result of the determination secondary verification isnecessary, that is, whether the procedure proceeds to secondaryverification or not.

[0363] The keyboard information extracting unit (fourth extracting unit)25G corresponds to characteristic data extracting unit for secondaryverification 25 shown in FIG. 4. The keyboard information extractingunit 25G converts a contact pattern (position of contact point) obtainedfrom image data of the contact pattern inputted by a person (user) to beauthenticated using the simplified keyboard 40 from the image inputscreen of the information inputting unit 20A into character data withreference to the above-described conversion table or the like.

[0364] The data verifying unit (secondary verifying unit) 26Gcorresponds to the secondary verifying unit 26 shown in FIG. 4. The dataverifying unit 26G compares and matches the character data (keyboardpattern data) extracted by the keyboard information extracting unit 25Gwith keyboard pattern data (registry data for secondary verification) ofthe person to be authenticated. The keyboard pattern data of the personis registered beforehand in the data storage unit 6G.

[0365] The final personal determining unit (personal determining unit)27G corresponds to the final personal determining unit 27 shown in FIG.4. In cooperation with the verification determining unit 23G describedabove, the final personal determining unit 27G functions as a personaldetermining unit which determines whether the person to be authenticatedis the person himself/herself (registered person) or not on the basis ofresults of verification by the biometrics character data verifying unit22A and the data verifying unit 26G. When the verification determiningunit 23G determines that the rate of matching in the primaryverification is equal to or more than a threshold value n, or that thekeyboard pattern data inputted by the person to be authenticatedcoincides with registry data for secondary verification, the finalpersonal determining unit 27G determines and authenticates that theperson to be authenticated is the person himself/herself.

[0366] A procedure for authentication by the authenticating apparatus 3Gin the above-described structure will be next described with referenceto a flowchart (steps S21 to S24, and S91 to S95) shown in FIG. 26.

[0367] Steps S21 to S24 are similar to the primary verification process(steps S21 to S23) and the process of determining to shift to secondaryverification performed in the authenticating procedure shown in FIG. 7,detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted. The secondaryverification shift setting unit 28 and the personal information settingunit 29 are omitted in the authenticating apparatus 3G, a process ofdetermining to shift to secondary verification corresponding to step S25in FIG. 7 is thus omitted.

[0368] When the verification determining unit 23G determines that a rateof matching in primary verification is equal to or more than thethreshold value n (YES route at step S23), the final personaldetermining unit 27G determines and authenticates that a person to beauthenticated is the person himself/herself since a rate of matchingsufficient to determine that the person to be authenticated is theperson himself/herself is obtained in the primary verification (stepS94), and the process is terminated.

[0369] When the secondary verification shift determining unit 24Gdetermines that the rate of matching in the primary verification isequal to or more than the secondary verification shift threshold value s(YES route at step S24), the instruction unit 20 a operates to promptthe person to be authenticated to input data for secondary verificationfrom the information inputting unit 20A.

[0370] Responding to this, the person to be authenticated operates thesimplified keyboard 40 to form contact points corresponding to uniquecharacter data on the image input screen of the information inputtingunit 20A. The information inputting unit 20A obtains the contact pointas image data in the authenticating apparatus 3G. The keyboardinformation extracting unit 25G converts the contact points of the imagedata into character data, whereby keyboard pattern data inputted fromthe simplified keyboard 40 is extracted as non-biometrics characteristicdata (step S91).

[0371] The data verifying unit 26G compares and matches the keyboardpattern data extracted by the keyboard information extracting unit 25Gwith keyboard pattern data of the person to be authenticated, thekeyboard pattern data being registered beforehand in the data storageunit 6G (step S92). The verification determining unit 23G determineswhether the keyboard patterns coincide with each other or not (stepS93).

[0372] When the verification determining unit 23G determines that thetwo sorts of keyboard pattern data coincide with each other (YES routeat step S93), the final personal determining unit 27G determines andauthenticates that the person to be authenticated is the personhimself/herself or registered person (step S94), and the process isterminated.

[0373] When the verification determining unit 23G determines that thetwo sorts of keyboard pattern data do not coincide (NO route at stepS93), the final personal determining unit 27G determines not toauthenticate (step S95), and the process is terminated. When thesecondary verification shift determining unit 24G determines that therate of matching in the primary verification is less than the secondaryverification shift threshold value s (NO route at step S24), the finalpersonal determining unit 27G determines not to authenticate as well(step S95), and the process is terminated.

[0374] When the authenticating apparatus 3G shifts to the reliefauthenticating process, a person to be authenticated intentionallyinputs character data or a character data string from the sameinformation inputting unit 20A as that used when inputting biometricsinformation for primary verification. At this time, the character datais obtained as image data by the information inputting unit 20A by usingsimplified keyboard 40, keyboard pattern data is extracted from theimage data, and the keyboard pattern data is compared and matched withkeyboard pattern data registered beforehand. When the two sorts ofkeyboard pattern data coincide with each other, the person to beauthenticated is authenticated as the person himself/herself (registeredperson), and a series of the authenticating process is terminated.

[0375] According to the authenticating apparatus 3G, and the personalauthentication system 1 with the authenticating apparatus 3G, the userinputs a unique character pattern or a unique character pattern stringby using the simplified keyboard 40 through the information inputtingunit 10 or 20A in secondary verification, and the character pattern(keyboard pattern data) is used as registry data for secondaryverification. It is thereby possible to input data of the user necessaryin primary verification and secondary verification from one informationinputting unit 10 or 20A.

[0376] According to this embodiment, the simplified keyboard 40attachable to and detachable from the information inputting unit 10 or20A is used, and an input from the simplified keyboard 40 is convertedinto character data by the extracting unit 14 or 25G, whereby theinformation inputting unit 10 or 20A may function as a keyboard or a tenkey pad. The user can readily input character data or a character datastring from the information inputting unit 10 or 20 a using thesimplified keyboard 40 without a keyboard or a ten key pad. Here, afunction of the extracting unit 14 or 25G is realized as software, thuswhat should be added as hardware is only the simplified keyboard 40 tobe mounted on the image input screen.

[0377] So long as character data or a character data string equivalentto a personal identification number, a password or the like isregistered beforehand, an authenticating object person can inputcharacter data or a character data string for secondary verificationfrom the image input screen into the personal authentication system 1 insecondary verification in the similar manner to when inputting apersonal identification number or a password from a keyboard or a tenkey pad. The personal authentication system 1 can accomplish a measurefor relief in personal authentication using the existing apparatuseswithout causing complexity or an increase in cost.

[0378] Next, a structure and operation of the simplified keyboard(keyboard unit) 40A adapted to the capacitance fingerprint unit 20A′will be described with reference to FIGS. 29A through 30B.

[0379]FIGS. 29A to 30B show a structure of the simplified keyboard 40used in this embodiment. FIG. 29A is a vertical sectional view of thesimplified keyboard 40A. FIG. 29B is a plan view of the simplifiedkeyboard 40. FIG. 30A is a vertical sectional view showing anoperational state of the simplified keyboard 40A. FIG. 30B is a planview showing an example of an input pattern on the fingerprint inputscreen 20 b formed by the simplified keyboard 40A.

[0380] The simplified keyboard 40A is adapted to a case where theinformation inputting unit is the capacitance fingerprint unit 20A′,provided attachably to and detachably from the unit (informationinputting unit) 20A′ As shown in FIGS. 29A and 30A, a frame 44 a in thesame shape (here, a rectangle) as the fingerprint input screen 20 b issuch formed on the lower surface of a body made of conductor 44 of thesimplified keyboard 40A as to project therefrom. A shape of an innerperiphery of the frame 44 a matches with a shape of an outer peripheryof the fingerprint input screen 20 b, and the lower surface of the frame44 a contacts with a conductive metal ring 20 c, with the simplifiedkeyboard 40A being mounted on the information inputting unit 20A′, asshown in FIG. 30A.

[0381] A plurality (here, 3×3=9) of conductive keys 45 are such providedinside the frame 44 a of the body made of conductor 44 as to be able toslide upward and downward. An insulator 47 is interposed between each ofthe conductive keys 45 and the body made of conductor 44. Each of theconductive keys 45 is forced upward and by a spring or the like notshown. When a user presses an upper surface (key top 45 a) of each ofthe conductive keys 45 against a force by the spring, each of theconductive keys 45 moves downward.

[0382] Switch pieces 48 a and 48 b are such provided to the body made ofconductor 44 and each of the conductive keys 45 as to project therefrom.While each of the conductive keys 45 shifts upward by a force of thespring, the body made of conductor 44 and each of the conductive keys 45are insulated with these pieces of switch 40 a and 40 b being separatedfrom each other, as shown in FIG. 29A. To the contrary, when the userpresses the conductive key 45 so that the conductive key 45 shiftsdownward, these switch pieces 48 a and 48 b are brought into contactwith each other (ON state), whereby the body made of conductor 44 andthe conductive key 45 are electrically connected.

[0383] A conductive polymer film 46 is attached to a surface of a tip ofeach of the conductive keys 45. When the user presses down a conductivekey 45 with the simplified keyboard 40A being mounted on the informationinputting unit 20A′ as shown in FIG. 30A, the conductive polymer film 46touches the fingerprint input screen 20 b of the information inputtingunit 20A′ and contact therewith. The switch pieces 48 a and 48 b toucheach other, which allows the body made of conductor 44 and theconductive key 45 to be electrically connected. As shown in FIG. 30B, acontact pattern of the conductive key 45 (conductive polymer film 46) isthus formed on the fingerprint input screen 20 b.

[0384] In the simplified keyboard 40A, numbers from “1” to “9”, forexample, are written on the respective key tops 45 a of the nineconductive key 45. The simplified keyboard 40A functions similarly tothe simplified keyboard 40 described above.

[0385] When the user presses down a conductive key 45 on which “5”, forexample, is written to make the conductive polymer film 46 on thesurface at the tip thereof touch the fingerprint input screen 20 asshown in FIGS. 30A and 30B, a contact point (contact pattern) formed onthe fingerprint input screen 20 b is read as image data by theinformation inputting unit 20A (10). The extracting unit 14 of theregistering apparatus 2 or the keyboard information extracting unit 25Gof the authenticating apparatus 3G can extract a position of the contactpoint from the image data, and recognize and specify that a number “5”corresponding to that position is inputted with reference to theconversion table or the like described above.

[0386] Use of such the simplified keyboard 40A allows similar functionsand effects to the simplified keyboard 40 even when the informationinputting unit is the capacitance fingerprint unit 20A′.

[0387] In the example shown in FIG. 30B, a shape of the contact patternformed on the fingerprint input screen 20 b by the conductive polymerfilm 46 on the tip of the conductive key 45 is circular. However, theshape is not limited to the above example, but may be another.

[0388] Why the conductive polymer film 46 is interposed between each ofthe conductive keys 45 and the fingerprint input screen 46 to avoiddirect contact of the conductive key 45 with the fingerprint input face20 b as well as the electronic seal 30A is to avoid electrostaticdischarge of the capacitance fingerprint unit 20A′, and to make each ofthe conductive keys 45 softly touch the fingerprint input screen 2Db.When the conductive keys 45 have similar characteristics to theconductive polymer film 46, it is unnecessary to attach the conductivepolymer film 46.

[0389] The simplified keyboard 40A adapted to the capacitancefingerprint unit 20A′ can be used for the optical fingerprint unit 20Aas well as the simplified keyboard 40 described above.

[0390] Note that the present invention is not limited to the aboveexamples, but may be modified in various ways without departing from thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A personal authentication system using biometricsinformation comprising: a registering apparatus including a firstbiometrics information inputting unit for obtaining biometricsinformation of a person to be registered, said registering apparatusobtaining data for verification from information inputted using saidfirst biometrics information inputting unit and registering the same;and an authenticating apparatus for determining whether a person to beauthenticated is a person registered by said registering apparatus, onthe basis of said data for verification registered by said registeringapparatus; said registering apparatus further including, a firstextracting unit for extracting biometrics characteristic data from saidbiometrics information obtained by said first biometrics informationinputting unit, and registering said biometrics characteristic data asregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification; and asecond extracting unit for extracting data, which is different from saidregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification, frominformation inputted using said first biometrics information inputtingunit, and registering said data as registry data for secondaryverification.
 2. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 1 , wherein said registering apparatuscomprises a state determining unit for determining a state of saidregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verificationextracted by said first extracting unit; and said second extracting unitcarries out extraction and registration according to a result ofdetermination by said state determining unit.
 3. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 1, wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises: a second biometricsinformation inputting unit for obtaining biometrics information of aperson to be authenticated; a third extracting unit for extractingbiometrics characteristic data from biometrics information obtained bysaid second biometrics information inputting unit; a primary verifyingunit for verifying whether said biometrics characteristic data extractedby said third extracting unit matches said registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification registered by saidregistering apparatus; a secondary verification shift determining unitfor determining whether to carry out secondary verification, on thebasis of a result of verification by said primary verifying unit; afourth extracting unit for extracting data for secondary verificationfrom information inputted using said second biometrics informationinputting unit, when said secondary verification shift determining unitdetermines that said secondary verification is required to be carriedout; a secondary verifying unit for verifying whether said dataextracted by said fourth extracting unit matches said registry data forsecondary verification registered by said registering apparatus; and apersonal determining unit for determining whether said person to beauthenticated is a person registered by said registering apparatus onthe basis of a result of verification by said primary verifying unit orsaid secondary verifying unit.
 4. The personal authentication systemusing biometrics information according to claim 2 , wherein saidauthenticating apparatus comprises: a second biometrics informationinputting unit for obtaining biometrics information of said person to beauthenticated; a third extracting unit for extracting biometricscharacteristic data from biometrics information obtained by said secondbiometrics information inputting unit; a primary verifying unit forverifying whether said biometrics characteristic data extracted by saidthird extracting unit matches said registry biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification registered by said registering apparatus;a secondary verification shift determining unit for determining whetherto carry out secondary verification, on the basis of a result ofverification by said primary verifying unit; a fourth extracting unitfor extracting data for secondary verification from information inputtedusing said second biometrics information inputting unit, when saidsecondary verification shift determining unit determines that saidsecondary verification is required to be carried out; a secondaryverifying unit for verifying whether said data extracted by said fourthextracting unit matches said registry data for secondary verificationregistered by said registering apparatus; and a personal determiningunit for determining whether said person to be authenticated is a personregistered by said registering apparatus, on the basis of a result ofverification by said primary verifying unit or said secondary verifyingunit.
 5. The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 3 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprisesan instruction unit for prompting said person to be authenticated toinput data for secondary verification by using said second biometricsinformation inputting unit, when said secondary verification shiftdetermining unit determines that secondary verification is required tobe carried out.
 6. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 4 , wherein said authenticating apparatuscomprises an instruction unit for prompting said person to beauthenticated to input data corresponding to said registry data forsecondary verification using said second biometrics informationinputting unit, when said secondary verification shift determining unitdetermines that secondary verification is required to be carried out. 7.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 3 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises asecondary verification shift setting unit for arbitrarily settingwhether to carry out verification by said secondary verifying unit. 8.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 4 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises asecondary verification shift setting unit for arbitrarily settingwhether to carry out verification by said secondary verifying unit. 9.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 5 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises asecondary verification shift setting unit for arbitrarily settingwhether to carry out verification by said secondary verifying unit. 10.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 6 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises asecondary verification shift setting unit for arbitrarily settingwhether to carry out verification by said secondary verifying unit. 11.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 3 , wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises apersonal information setting unit for setting in advance information onwhether to carry out verification by said secondary verifying unit aspersonal information for each registered person.
 12. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 4, wherein said authenticating apparatus comprises a personal informationsetting unit for setting in advance information on whether to carry outverification by said secondary verifying unit as personal informationfor each registered person.
 13. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 5 , wherein saidauthenticating apparatus comprises a personal information setting unitfor setting in advance information on whether to carry out verificationby said secondary verifying unit as personal information for eachregistered person.
 14. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 6 , wherein saidauthenticating apparatus comprises a personal information setting unitfor setting in advance information on whether to carry out verificationby said secondary verifying unit as personal information for eachregistered person.
 15. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 1 , wherein said registry datafor secondary verification is biometrics characteristic data extractedfrom biometrics information, the biometrics information being of thesame type as biometrics information in primary verification and beingobtained from a part which is different from a part from which thebiometrics information has been obtained in said primary verification.16. The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 2 , wherein said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data extracted from biometricsinformation, the biometrics information being of the same type asbiometrics information in primary verification and being obtained from apart which is different from a part from which the biometricsinformation has been obtained in said primary verification.
 17. Thepersonal authentication system using biometrics information according toclaim 3 , wherein said registry data for secondary verification isbiometrics characteristic data extracted from biometrics information,the biometrics information being of the same type as biometricsinformation in primary verification and being obtained from a part whichis different from a part from which the biometrics information has beenobtained in said primary verification.
 18. The personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 4 , wherein saidregistry data for secondary verification is biometrics characteristicdata extracted from biometrics information, the biometrics informationbeing of the same type as biometrics information in primary verificationand being obtained from a part which is different from a part from whichthe biometrics information has been obtained in said primaryverification.
 19. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 15 , wherein said biometrics informationis fingerprint image data, and said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data extracted fromfingerprint image data of one or more fingers which are different from afinger from which said registry characteristic data for primary data hasbeen obtained.
 20. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 16 , wherein said biometrics informationis fingerprint image data, and said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data extracted fromfingerprint image data of one or more fingers which are different from afinger from which said registry characteristic data for primary data hasbeen obtained.
 21. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 17 , wherein said biometrics informationis fingerprint image data, and said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data extracted fromfingerprint image data of one or more fingers which are different from afinger from which said registry characteristic data for primary data hasbeen obtained.
 22. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 18 , wherein said biometrics informationis fingerprint image data, and said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data extracted fromfingerprint image data of one or more fingers which are different from afinger from which said registry characteristic data for primary data hasbeen obtained.
 23. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 1 , wherein said registry data forsecondary verification is biometrics characteristic data of a differenttype from biometrics characteristic data in primary verificationextracted from biometrics information, the biometrics information beingof the same type as biometrics information in primary verification andbeing obtained from the same part or a different part.
 24. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 2, wherein said registry data for secondary verification is biometricscharacteristic data of a different type from biometrics characteristicdata in primary verification extracted from biometrics information, thebiometrics information being of the same type as biometrics informationin primary verification and being obtained from the same part or adifferent part.
 25. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 3 , wherein said registry data forsecondary verification is biometrics characteristic data of a differenttype from biometrics characteristic data in primary verificationextracted from biometrics information, the biometrics information beingof the same type as biometrics information in primary verification andbeing obtained from the same part or a different part.
 26. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 4, wherein said registry data for secondary verification is biometricscharacteristic data of a different type from biometrics characteristicdata in primary verification extracted from biometrics information, thebiometrics information being of the same type as biometrics informationin primary verification and being obtained from the same part or adifferent part.
 27. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 23 , wherein said biometrics informationis fingerprint image data, and said registry data for secondaryverification is biometrics characteristic data of a different type frombiometrics characteristic data in said primary verification, extractedfrom fingerprint image data of the same finger as a registered fingerfrom which said registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification has been obtained, or, one or more fingers which aredifferent from said registered finger.
 28. The personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 24 , wherein saidbiometrics information is fingerprint image data, and said registry datafor secondary verification is biometrics characteristic data of adifferent type from biometrics characteristic data in said primaryverification, extracted from fingerprint image data of the same fingeras a registered finger from which said registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification has been obtained, or, oneor more fingers which are different from said registered finger.
 29. Thepersonal authentication system using biometrics information according toclaim 25 , wherein said biometrics information is fingerprint imagedata, and said registry data for secondary verification is biometricscharacteristic data of a different type from biometrics characteristicdata in said primary verification, extracted from fingerprint image dataof the same finger as a registered finger from which said registrybiometrics characteristic data for primary verification has beenobtained, or, one or more fingers which are different from saidregistered finger.
 30. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 26 , wherein said biometricsinformation is fingerprint image data, and said registry data forsecondary verification is biometrics characteristic data of a differenttype from biometrics characteristic data in said primary verification,extracted from fingerprint image data of the same finger as a registeredfinger from which said registry biometrics characteristic data forprimary verification has been obtained, or, one or more fingers whichare different from said registered finger.
 31. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 3, wherein said registry data for secondary verification isnon-biometrics characteristic data intentionally inputted by said personto be registered using said first biometrics information inputting unit.32. The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 4 , wherein said registry data for secondaryverification is non-biometrics characteristic data intentionallyinputted by said person to be registered using said first biometricsinformation inputting unit.
 33. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 31 , wherein saidnon-biometrics characteristic data is time series data having a patterndetermined by said person to be registered.
 34. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 32, wherein said non-biometrics characteristic data is time series datahaving a pattern determined by said person to be registered.
 35. Thepersonal authentication system using biometrics information according toclaim 31 , wherein said biometrics information is image data of apredetermined part of a body, and said non-biometrics characteristicdata is an input angle of said predetermined part of the body on animage input screen of said first biometrics information inputting unit,said input angle being detected as image data by said first biometricsinformation inputting unit.
 36. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 32 , wherein said biometricsinformation is image data of a predetermined part of a body, and saidnon-biometrics characteristic data is an input angle of saidpredetermined part of the body on an image input screen of said firstbiometrics information inputting unit, said input angle being detectedas image data by said first biometrics information inputting unit. 37.The personal authentication system using biometrics informationaccording to claim 31 , wherein said biometrics information is imagedata of a predetermined part of a body, and said non-biometricscharacteristic data is a contact position of said predetermined part ofthe body on an image input screen of said biometrics informationinputting unit, said contact position being detected as image data bysaid first biometrics information inputting unit.
 38. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 32, wherein said biometrics information is image data of a predeterminedpart of a body, and said non-biometrics characteristic data is a contactposition of said predetermined part of the body on an image input screenof said biometrics information inputting unit, said contact positionbeing detected as image data by said first biometrics informationinputting unit.
 39. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 31 , wherein said biometrics informationis image data of a predetermined part of a body, and said non-biometricscharacteristic data is contact trace information on an image inputscreen of said first biometrics information inputting unit, said contacttrace information being detected as image data by said first biometricsinformation inputting unit.
 40. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 32 , wherein said biometricsinformation is image data of a predetermined part of a body, and saidnon-biometrics characteristic data is contact trace information on animage input screen of said first biometrics information inputting unit,said contact trace information detected as image data by said firstbiometrics information inputting unit.
 41. The personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 31 , wherein saidbiometrics information is image data of a predetermined part of a body,and said non-biometrics characteristic data is a contact pattern on animage input screen of said first biometrics information inputting unit,said contact pattern being detected as image data by said firstbiometrics information inputting unit.
 42. The personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 32 , wherein saidbiometrics information is image data of a predetermined part of a body,and said non-biometrics characteristic data is a contact pattern on animage input screen of said first biometrics information inputting unit,said contact pattern being detected as image data by said firstbiometrics information inputting unit.
 43. The personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 41 , wherein saidcontact pattern is formed by a pattern information input medium beingable to be possessed and carried by said person to be registered or aregistered person; and said pattern information input medium comprisesone or more contact parts contacting with said image input screen ofsaid first biometrics information inputting unit to form said contactpattern.
 44. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 42 , wherein said contact pattern isformed by a pattern information input medium being able to be possessedand carried by said person to be registered or a registered person; andsaid pattern information input medium comprises one or more contactparts contacting with said image input screen of said first biometricsinformation inputting unit to form said contact pattern.
 45. Thepersonal authentication system using biometrics information according toclaim 43 , wherein said pattern information input medium forms a patternchanging in time series as said contact pattern by said one or morecontact parts.
 46. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 44 , wherein said pattern informationinput medium forms a pattern changing in time series as said contactpattern by said one or more contact parts.
 47. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 31, wherein: said biometrics information is image data of a predeterminedpart of a body; character data corresponding each of a plurality ofdifferent contact patterns or a plurality of different contact points onan image input screen of said first biometrics information inputtingunit is set in advance; and said non-biometrics characteristic data ischaracter data corresponding to said contact pattern or said contactpoint detected as image data by said first biometrics informationinputting unit.
 48. The personal authentication system using biometricsinformation according to claim 32 , wherein: said biometrics informationis image data of a predetermined part of a body; character datacorresponding each of a plurality of different contact patterns or aplurality of different contact points on an image input screen of saidfirst biometrics information inputting unit is set in advance; and saidnon-biometrics characteristic data is character data corresponding tosaid contact pattern or said contact point detected as image data bysaid first biometrics information inputting unit.
 49. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 47, wherein said non-biometrics characteristic data is a character datastring successively inputted in time series.
 50. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 48, wherein said non-biometrics characteristic data is a character datastring successively inputted in time series.
 51. The personalauthentication system using biometrics information according to claim 47, wherein said registering apparatus and said authenticating apparatuscomprise: a keyboard unit attachably and detachably disposed to saidbiometrics information inputting unit to be able to form said contactpattern or said contact point by contacting with said image input screenof said biometrics information inputting unit according to a keyoperation; and a keyboard information extracting unit for convertingsaid contact pattern or said contact point formed according to the keyoperation of said keyboard unit into corresponding character data, andoutputting the same.
 52. The personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 48 , wherein said registeringapparatus and said authenticating apparatus comprise: a keyboard unitattachably and detachably disposed to said biometrics informationinputting unit to be able to form said contact pattern or said contactpoint by contacting with said image input screen of said biometricsinformation inputting unit according to a key operation; and a keyboardinformation extracting unit for converting said contact pattern or saidcontact point formed according to the key operation of said keyboardunit into corresponding character data, and outputting the same.
 53. Thepersonal authentication system using biometrics information according toclaim 49 , wherein said registering apparatus and said authenticatingapparatus comprise: a keyboard unit attachably and detachably disposedto said biometrics information inputting unit to be able to form saidcontact pattern or said contact point by contacting with said imageinput screen of said biometrics information inputting unit according toa key operation; and a keyboard information extracting unit forconverting said contact pattern or said contact point formed accordingto the key operation of said keyboard unit into corresponding characterdata, and outputting the same.
 54. The personal authentication systemusing biometrics information according to claim 50 , wherein saidregistering apparatus and said authenticating apparatus comprise: akeyboard unit attachably and detachably disposed to said biometricsinformation inputting unit to be able to form said contact pattern orsaid contact point by contacting with said image input screen of saidbiometrics information inputting unit according to a key operation; anda keyboard information extracting unit for converting said contactpattern or said contact point formed according to the key operation ofsaid keyboard unit into corresponding character data, and outputting thesame.
 55. A personal authentication method using biometrics informationcomprising the steps of: a registering step of obtaining firstbiometrics information of a person to be registered using a firstbiometrics information inputting unit, registering biometricscharacteristic data extracted from said first biometrics information asregistry biometrics characteristic data for primary verification,inputting registry data for secondary verification, which is differentfrom said registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification, using said first biometrics information inputting unit,and registering the same; and an authenticating step of determiningwhether a person to be authenticated is a person registered in saidregistering step, on the basis of using said registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification or said registry data forsecondary verification registered in said registering step.
 56. Thepersonal authentication method using biometrics information according toclaim 55 , wherein at said authenticating step, second biometricsinformation of said person to be authenticated is obtained by a secondbiometrics information inputting unit, it is verified whether biometricscharacteristic data extracted from said second biometrics informationmatches said registry biometrics characteristic data for primaryverification registered in advance, whether to carry out secondaryverification is determined on the basis of a result of the verification,data corresponding to said registry data for secondary verification isinputted by said person to be authenticated using said second biometricsinformation inputting unit when said secondary verification is requiredto be carried out, it is verified whether said data inputted by saidsecond biometrics information inputting unit matches said registry datafor secondary verification registered in advance, and whether saidperson to be authenticated is a person registered in said registeringstep is determined on the basis of a result of the verification.
 57. Aregistering apparatus for a personal authentication system usingbiometrics information, said registering apparatus, in a systemauthenticating a person using biometrics information, having a firstbiometrics information inputting unit for obtaining biometricsinformation of a person to be registered to obtain data for verificationfrom information inputted using said first biometrics informationinputting unit, and registering the same, said registering apparatuscomprising: a first extracting unit for extracting biometricscharacteristic data from said biometrics information obtained by saidfirst biometrics information inputting unit, and registering saidbiometrics characteristic data as registry biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification; and a second extracting unit forextracting data, which is different from said registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification, from information inputtedusing said first biometrics information inputting unit, and registeringsaid data as registry data for secondary verification.
 58. Theregistering apparatus for a personal authentication system usingbiometrics information according to claim 57 further comprising a statedetermining unit for determining a state of said registry biometricscharacteristic data for primary verification extracted by said firstextracting unit; wherein said second extracting unit performs extractionand registration according to a result of determination by said statedetermining unit.
 59. An authenticating apparatus for a personalauthentication system using biometrics information, said authenticatingapparatus, in a system authenticating a person using biometricsinformation, determining whether a person to be authenticated is aregistered person, on the basis of data for verification registered inadvance, said authenticating apparatus comprising: a second biometricsinformation inputting unit for obtaining biometrics information of saidperson to be authenticated; a third extracting unit for extractingbiometrics characteristics data from biometrics information obtained bysaid second biometrics information inputting unit; a primary verifyingunit for verifying whether said biometrics characteristic data extractedby said third extracting unit matches registry biometrics characteristicdata for primary verification registered in advance; a secondaryverification shift determining unit for determining whether to carry outsecondary verification, on the basis of a result of verification by saidprimary verifying unit; a fourth extracting unit for extracting data forsecondary verification registered in advance from information inputtedusing said second biometrics information inputting unit, when saidsecondary verification shift determining unit determines that saidsecondary verification is required to be carried out; a secondaryverifying unit for verifying whether said data extracted by said fourthextracting unit matches said registry data for secondary verification;and a personal determining unit for determining whether said person tobe authenticated is a registered person on the basis of a result ofverification by said primary verifying unit or said secondary verifyingunit.
 60. The authenticating apparatus for a personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 59 furthercomprising an instruction unit for prompting said person to beauthenticated to input data corresponding to said registry data forsecondary verification using said second biometrics informationinputting unit, when said secondary verification shift determining unitdetermines that said secondary verification is required to be carriedout.
 61. A pattern information input medium for a personalauthentication system using biometrics information, said patterninformation input medium used in a system having a biometricsinformation inputting unit for obtaining biometrics information as imagedata in order to authenticate a person by using said biometricsinformation, said pattern information input medium being mounted on saidbiometrics information inputting unit, said pattern information inputmedium comprising one or more contact parts for contacting with an imageinput screen of said biometrics information inputting unit to form acontact pattern unique to a possessor to be detected by said biometricsinformation inputting unit instead of said biometrics information, saidpattern information input medium being carried by said possessor. 62.The pattern information input medium for a personal authenticationsystem using biometrics information according to claim 61 , wherein saidone or more contact parts form a pattern which changes in time series assaid contact pattern.